Where the Winged Ones Are
by Denigoddess2001-Arken-Stone1
Summary: The of The City of Angels is home more than to just angels. It's home to angels, demons and the occasional human who is chosen to be part of the Grand Design. Lucifer wonders about Chloe: who and what she is, her immunity to his abilities and, yet, strips him of his. More than one person has noticed Chloe's particular effects on Lucifer and how it affects everything under Heaven.
1. Prologue

JANUARY 2016

Chloe heard the two thundering explosions in rapid succession followed by the sound of metal shattering glass. The smell of smoke and gunpowder filled her nostrils with an overpowering scent as two bullets burnt their way into her, one embedding deep within her lung and stealing the air she needed to breathe while the other passed through her and shattered more glass behind her in the recording studio. The rapid blood loss, the searing pain combined with the impact of bullets tearing through her sent her reeling backwards a step, knees buckling as she crumpled into a heap on the floor. With glass impaling her back, the lights above her appeared distant and blurry. She tasted the strong salty, metallic liquid bubbling up in her throat, making fear replace the lost blood in her veins.

The air was thin and her chest burned as she gasped for air, "I don't want to die."

"I won't let you," Lucifer promised, cupping Chloe's face, silently begging her to stay with him. "Father will just have to wait for you."

Chloe heard three more shots reverberate off the recording room walls, each hitting Lucifer and causing him to cringe. She tried focusing on him, but his face was distorted and blurry, his voice sounded distant and distorted. "Just give me one second."

Her heart fluttered in her chest, an irregular beat, as the last of the air in her lungs escaped and her vision darkened. Voices became mixed with buzzing and loud winds roaring. Chloe felt the last of her strength seep out of her and she only wanted to close her eyes and sleep for awhile to regain her strength. Just a few seconds for rest, then she'd get to her feet and do whatever she was supposed to do, but she couldn't remember.

A warm, breeze blew away the cold chills that made her shiver and she felt as though she had awoke from a good night's sleep The scent of the air carried a certain freshness to it one smells in spring immediately after an early morning rain. Chloe slowly sat up, feeling soft grass beneath her palms. Looking down, she saw it was thick and lush, a deep vivid green that went on until in the distance, it came to the edge of tall, snow-capped mountains. She heard a babbling brook behind and looked over her shoulder to see a river with waters clearer than crystal flowing from the mountains past her only a few yards away.

"Where am I?" She asked to the empty space around her as she stretched and rose to her feet. She went over the flowing waters, staring into the crystalline stream. Dipping her hands into the water, she took a sip and used some of it to cool her flushed face.

"Chloe, how do you feel?" A calm voice called out to her and she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. Looking to her left, Chloe saw a man whom she guessed to be in his late twenties or early thirties with wavy chestnut hair and light gray eyes. His olive skin had a bronze cast to it as if he'd spent many days out in the sun.

"Better," she nodded, staring at the unfamiliar man standing near her. She thought she detected a faint trace of accent that she couldn't quite place, Middle Eastern, perhaps. He was on the slender side and a few inches taller than her, looking like he didn't waste his time eating junk food. "Where am I?"

"Heaven, Chloe," he smiled.

"Heaven?" she gave the man a skeptical glance. "I could only be in Heaven if I were. . ."

Then, it all came crashing back into her memory. Delilah's agent aiming his gun, ready to shoot Lucifer as she pulled her sidearm and fired off two or three shots. She and Lucifer started bickering as to how stupid he was for putting himself in harm's way between her and the shooter. Chloe remember the thundering shoots echoing off the acoustic walls of the recording studio, one burrowing into her chest while the other passed through her straight and clean.

Chloe remembered all of it: the blood loss, the punctured lung, the fatal shot that nicked the valve on her heart that brought around her early death.

"Chloe, I have a plan for you and mean good things for you, but it's not your time yet. I have a prodigal son who has taken a vacation and he has lost his way. I think you'd be a good person to help him remember who he really is and that he has family who loves him."

"Wait, hang on, I'm confused," Chloe held up her man to stop the man's dialogue. "If I'm dead, why can't I stay? Where's God and the angels, the harps and the millions of souls?"

"God is with you always. You and he have started a good friendship. Help him to return home, Chloe. He's lost and doesn't remember what it's like to be loved."

"Wait, hang on, do you mean Lucifer?" she exclaimed, her voice coming out an octave higher than usual.

"Exactly," He gave her a knowing nod. "When We made you, you are wondrous with your detective skills. You have good instincts, Chloe, go with that. I'll warn you, Luci is a charmer and I've never seen him go out of his way to selflessly save someone the way he has you. I'm glad I had you two cross paths. Don't worry, you teach him how to be human and he'll help you do the extraordinary."

She noticed the man's face seemed less clear that it had been a few seconds prior, more of a blur and a source of bright light flooding the area. Chloe felt her limbs get heavier and the drowsiness return. His voice faded as if he traveled away from her. "Wait, what's your name?"

"You know My name, Chloe, you always have. I AM-" Bright light filled the universe and everything went white.

"Well," a quiet Welsh lilt greet her as Chloe opened her eyes to a blurry vision of sunshine and yellow. "Look who's back."

Chloe felt the stiffness in her bones and muscles when she tried finding a more comfortable position in the lumpy hospital bed. Her body protested with several cracking joints and sharp aches protesting the series of movements, inspiring a groan. "How long have I been out?"

"Three years," Lucifer gravely replied.

Her eyes widened at her first thought, 'Is Trixie okay?' Her mind felt overwhelmed by an onslaught of too much information. "What?"

She saw Lucifer's smirk and she chuckled, secretly relieved that he was full of bullshit. "You are such an ass."

Thank you." he said smugly.

PERHAPS TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. Chloe, stay! Please, Good Detective

Early February 2016

Lucifer sat alone in Lux after his most recent appointment with Dr. Martin. He swirled slowly the amber liquid in his Scotch glass, watching it eddy, reminding him of the emotional vortex where he found himself prisoner. He inhaled deeply of the strong spirit, tapping another Morley out of his pack, packing the tobacco tight by tapping the filtered end on the black granite bar. He thought about crumpling the half-empty pack in his fist and throwing it into the rubbish can less than five meters away. The good Detective cared nothing for the smell of cigarette smoke and more than once forbade him to light up in her car while working a case.

With lighter in hand, Lucifer slowly lit the Morley, inhaling deeply on the first drag as the blue smoke wafted around him. Taking another slow swig of good double malt scotch did little to take away the memory of the Doctor's words from their last session before he shagged her senseless, leaving her on her stomach with a large grin on those pretty pink lips. Yet, even while riding the Doctor, it was Chloe who strangely occupied his thoughts.

"Last we spoke, you were bothered about feelings of humanity," Linda had said with such prim and proper propriety, shaking her head as if to ward off the naughty thoughts dancing inside her naughty mind.

"I was, yes, but I have good news for you on that front. I'm healed." Lucifer answered, flashing the Doctor a charming smile.

"Is that so?"

"Yes," he assured her. "Yes, back to my normal, devilish self. No pesky empathy to be found. I'd kick a puppy if one waltzed by." Lucifer gave a quick chuckle. "I'm joking. Puppies don't waltz."

"You like to hide insecurity in humor, don't you?" Linda's eyes pierce into his soul, if he possessed one, never letting go her aggressive line a questions. Lucifer remember how he felt less confident and slightly put upon by her vexing inquiries.

He chuckled, rolling her eyes at the preposterousness of her supposition. "I don't have insecurities."

"Everyone does, Lucifer."

"You never let up for a moment, do you, Doctor?" he asked, growing slightly impatient with her obsession with his supposed insecurities. Oh, bullocks! He thought how he might as well play along if he were to make any sense of what was becoming of him. She leaned forward, as if in issuing a challenged. Lucifer liked. Oh, indeed, he found her challenge interesting. He returned her gaze, sitting upright and gave an exasperated sigh. "Very well. I'll play your game. What do you think I'm insecure about?"

"That you are changing, but that you don't know what's causing the change," Linda studied him for a moment. "Or who."

He knew "the who" was Chloe. What perplexed and vexed him beyond imagining was "the how" and "the why." His beloved, but meddlesome, brother had provided the answer that made it all so obvious; why hadn't he seen it earlier? Amenadiel, for all of his little brother alpha-angel posturing and self-righteous blustering, for once, said something useful.

"You can't see it yet, can you, Brother?" Amenadiel asked, amazement lacing his words.

"See what?" Lucifer replayed the memory and the words again in his head, not understanding why he hadn't caught on before that moment as he sat alone in Lux, days later, trying to piece together all of the pieces of Father's puzzle that made the picture of Chloe.

"You saved a human life, Lucy," Amenadiel said, following his elder brother until he stood only a few feet from him. "You did it simply because you care about that detective."

Lucifer scoffed in denial at the ludicrous notion that Amenadiel proposed. Except now, in the dimness of Lux with the shades drawn with only solitude for company, perhaps, his brother's suggestion hadn't been so absurd after all.

"You're changing."

"My life is change," Lucifer moved from the bar to the piano sitting in the middle of the club, stray beams of sunlight poked through the closed shades covering the windows. The smell of strong Scotch and cigarette smoke filled his nostrils, making him feel alive and connected to the realm of sensuality and desire, of vexation and wonder. "The same thing over and over: that's your boring motto."

"True," Amenadiel agreed, making no attempt to deny the statement. "However, you're usually the one controlling the change, Lucy, but not this time. Now, does that scare you? It should."

Bloody Hell! Lucifer slammed downed the Scotch glass with such force that it shattered against the sable finish of the baby grand, glass shards flying everywhere, and scratching the expensive finish on Lucifer's favorite pastime.

Being on Earth hadn't changed him with such veracity until he met Chloe Decker. She was the source of all the chaos and disorder occurring around him. He loved both and the excitement that accompanied them, but not when he was neither the source nor the director of said mayhem. Amenadiel had known about his saving the Detective's life when he hadn't seen his brother in some time. How could he have known unless it was Amenadiel who had manipulated things allowing Chloe to be shot or someone else had allowed it to happen?

Father.

Lucifer's eyes burned, the heat causing the streams of Scotch on his hands to steam and evaporate. Had anyone seen him at that moment, the vision of flashing crimson eyes and the rage manifesting in his expression would have driven mad any poor human that was unlucky enough to view it..

So, Father was behind it how? How did Chloe tie into this? Was she another angel waiting to help bring him to his knees. No, Lucifer knew all of his siblings and not one of them looked like Chloe Decker.

"You saved a human life, Lucy. You did it simply because you care about that detective. . ."

He hadn't been able to save Delilah, but he had been there in time to save Chloe: the one upon whom he had no affect and the one who endlessly vexed him. She was a delicious mystery that fed his curious mind and he simply had to know more. Yet, he found it frustrating that she invaded his life in the most inconvenient moments, including his less-than-spectacular orgasm after spending a delightful afternoon with Dr. Martin.

He simply had to know more about the Detective, her motivations and desires. Wasn't he Lucifer Morningstar, after all? Desire was his forte and he had to find out more about her. She made his life more interesting than it had been in thousands of millennia. Those innocent clear blue eyes haunted every thought when he tried to slide into Linda or complete his ride on that , Rico, who had been part of a less-than-spectacular Devil's threesome.

He wondered if Chloe would be silent beneath him or if she'd squeal like Linda. Would she have a kink for a bit of buggery or was the romantic, traditional type? How did Chloe Decker work her way into his psyche and make him feel? Make him care? Make him want to beg to let him find out every secret about her?

How did Chloe figure into Father's plans and how was a mere human able to affect him so profoundly? He found it positively thrilling and he didn't plan on letting Chloe Decker out of his life anytime soon. He found a delightful new enigma to keep him amused for the time being. She made him feel unquestionably intoxicated with an emotion that he couldn't name. She came first in his thoughts during music, during sex and now, even now, she affected him. He had to find a way to keep her in his life and figure out her part in Father's grand design. Not know knowing what was coming next with her was exhilarating, but Bloody Hell! What did he do with Chloe Decker? The only answer that came to Lucifer was, Chloe, stay. Please, good Detective.

He needed to be around Chloe to feel alive, but Lucifer decided he'd ponder the mystery another time. Lucifer ached for a quality personal time in the shower with a strong grip and a good wank with thoughts of Chloe beneath him, above him, in front and behind him. He would make himself indispensable.

To Be Continued…...


	3. Silent Luciferity

Chloe heard the loud, obnoxious melody of her mobile phone somewhere in the distance of her consciousness. As she snuggled deeper into the blanket surrounding her, the annoying rings of the alarm grew more distant. The soft fuzzy texture of her favorite blanket shielded her eyes from the sunlight streaming through the bedroom window drew her back from the edge, lulling back into a deep sleep. Chloe burrowed beneath the blanket, curling into a tight ball to catch a few more minutes of sleep before she began getting ready for her shift.

She rolled over on her side, effectively blocking out the world and losing her in that wonderful place between consciousness and sleep. The wonderful allure of deep sleep beckoned her back into her dreams. It felt so good and safe there, away from the harsh, cold reality of blood and concrete, bullets and badges. The volume of the alarm clock faded into nothing, replaced by quiet and sounds of nature.

Chloe rolled over, noting the texture of her cotton sheets had changed to soft grass. Her eyes snapped open, blinking twice before she automatically reached for her sidearm on the end table. All Chloe grasped was a handful of thick rescue, dewy to the touch. She remained still, surveying everything around her be familiar with her surroundings.

The air smelled fresh as she remembered it from her childhood; natural and sweet after a heavy rain. It was a familiar scent that she came from somewhere, but her memory refused to give an exact place in time. Chloe slowly sat upright, hearing a familiar sound that she recalled from that same elusive dream. Looking around, Chloe saw a familiar mountain range in the distance, each peak capped with snow. She stood up, looking for the source of the background noise that relaxed every last nerve in her usually fatigued and tensed body.

"Welcome back, Chloe," a voice welcomed her, quiet and lilting. Chloe felt her memories nag at her, knowing she had heard this voice in the past.

She glanced around at the sky above which was a mixture of dark gray after a storm, twilight with the colors of the sunset on the horizon, brilliant light coming from the center of wherever she was and night sky alight with stars above her. "Where am I?"

"You asked Me that last time," He chuckled and Chloe turned to face the voice. Looking to her left, Chloe saw a man whom she recognized, perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties. She studied the person next to her, he was a familiar face with wavy chestnut hair, light gray eyes and olive skin. "Silver City."

Chloe looked around, scoffing at His answer. "I don't remember Silver City, New Mexico looking anything like this."

"You're not in L.A. anymore," He returned her smile.

"I remember now, I asked you your name and you said 'I am,' but you never finished telling me."

"I AM. You don't know me yet, but I hope you will. Maybe by knowing Lucifer for a little while on Earth, you and I can become close friends."

"How do you know Lucifer?"

"If I told you, would you believe Me?" He shook his head. "If you're wondering what to call me, you can call me Joshua."

"How do you know Lucifer?" Chloe repeated, taking in Josh's appearance. Chestnut hair, gray eyes, full and groomed beard reminded her of a young hipster.

"He's my son."

Chloe's eyes widened and her jaw slackened. Skeptically, she scrutinized the man in front of her whom she guessed was about her own age and he appeared younger than Lucifer by nearly a decade. "Really?"

"Really."

"You know, I'm having a hard time with this whole God/ Devil thing," she folded her arms, give Josh a skeptical glance. "I believe in good and evil, right and wrong, but Hell? No, not literally. Now, you're asking me to believe in Heaven? And what's with the hipster look? Why faded blue jeans and a white tee-shirt? Where are the flowing robes, the hair like wool and skin of bronze? Shouldn't you be up on a mountain top somewhere judging people?"

"Chloe, there's a lot more to ME than you know and all the pages in all of the books in the world couldn't describe more than just a moment or two," his voice calmed her.

"So what about Jesus, are you Him?"

"I AM."

"So, you're not God the Father, then?"

"I AM."

"Which is it?" Chloe wondered if Josh, or whoever he really was, would give her a straight answer.

"I AM."

She rolled her eyes. "I wanted to sleep in, not be perplexed by weird dreams. I want to wake up now."

"Chloe, walk with me," Josh beckoned her gently and she wanted to follow. As they walked along the edge of the clear stream flowing beside them, He said nothing for a few moments. "It's not about my name what you call me, it's about you knowing who I AM. By learning about Lucifer, you'll learn more about Me. By knowing more about Me, then you'll help Lucifer know himself. This is why I brought you to Silver City, by seeing ME here for awhile, you'll get to know me better in LA. and also help Lucifer."

"Your God...as in Lucifer's Dad?" Chloe said slowly.

"Father, more like creator, but yes."

"So, you're Jesus, too?"

"Let's get you comfortable with the basics, Chloe, and we'll tackle the harder things when you're ready." Josh smiled. "You still don't believe in the Devil."

"You're saying you're God as in Sky Dad and Lucifer is who he says he is," Chloe breathed in deeply the fresh morning air. "Satan?"

"Satan is a deceiver. Lucifer is just a name given to him by Humanity. His true name is Samael."

"Okay, okay," Chloe held up her hands to stop Josh. "I'll go with the role and play along. Give me the inside info on Heaven, God and Lucifer 101."

"Just remember, you asked," Josh chuckled. They walked along the river's edge for some time before they came upon an orchard with trees bearing every sort of bloom, blossom and fruit. He motioned to a wooden bench to sit and Chloe sat down beside him.

"Samael is Lucifer's true name," he reached up to a tree, taking a bite of a juicy fruit that had a purplish outer skin and burgundy juice that Josh wiped from His lips. "Would you like one, Chloe?"

"What is it?" She studied the strange fruit in His hand.

"Best in the universe," Josh gave her a broad smile.

"You were saying about Lucifer," Chloe began, her mouth still half-full with fig. Josh plucked three more from the tree, handing them to her.

"I named him Samael. His light and beauty filled Heaven that no other angel can duplicate, but, he was the strongest in will of all of his brothers and sisters. Chloe, Lucifer could be a handful. He was handsome and he knew it. His confidence never wavered, but it became arrogance and pride."

"I thought you were going to tell me something that I didn't already know, Josh," Chloe wiped a small trail of juice from the side of her lip from the fig she bit. "He says you kicked him out of Heaven because he didn't believe in predestination, but free will. The Bible says he led a rebellion and you cast him out along with one-third of all angels. Which is it?"

"Both," Josh admitted. "He wanted to do things on his own terms, but he wouldn't listen to Me. He wanted power, questioned Me and was rebellious. I told him and his followers to leave and not return until their hearts changed. When you are in My house, you love others as you would yourself, not love yourself at the expense of others."

"So, Lucifer and his siblings. . .just left?"

"After he threw a massive tantrum and left home," Josh handed Chloe a handkerchief that she used to wipe the final drop of juice from the side of her mouth. "I sent him to the one place where I wouldn't be where he could have time to think about things without having My presence overshadow him."

"Hell?"

"Hell." Josh confirmed. "He's not my enemy, Chloe, he's my firstborn. He always had a streak that enjoyed punishing evil, so I thought Hell was the perfect place for him to think about things."

"So, he can come home at anytime?" She asked.

"With conditions," Josh rinsed his hands in the flowing waters of the crystalline stream. "That's why I picked you. You are the first being in his existence to make him think of more than his own needs and desires. He saved your life without any selfishness attached to it. When he is around you, he forgets his pride and arrogance-"

"Are you sure about that?" Chloe followed suit, rinsing the fig juice from her hands in the clear waters. "This is Lucifer we're talking about, you know."

"True," Josh agreed. "Only you, Chloe, make Lucifer forget his own needs and thinks of others. All I've ever wanted him to learn was to love others as he loves himself. He's still working on that one, but you're the first person who inspired him in the right direction. You're good for him and he's good for you."

"So, I'm a pawn."

"No, you're his friend and he cares about you. With you in his life, he thinks about much more than just himself and I know that you can inspire Lucifer's change of heart to be that beautiful angel in his entirety. The one thing I don't change, Chloe, is anyone's ability to choose. I gave every sentient being in the universe free-will and it's something even I don't touch. You have the right to choose or refuse."

"So, how does this affect me?"

"You're lonely, a by-the-book cop getting herself into dangerous situations because of your desire for justice for those who've been wronged. You enjoy bringing wrongdoers in and seeing them get what they've earned. That's one thing you and Lucifer have in common. He also has your back and keeps you alive and well. It isn't your time yet."

"What do you want me to do?" Chloe asked, noticing Josh's features were blurrier than the previous moment.

"Follow your heart and love Lucifer when no one else will," the voice possessed an ethereal quality that reminded Chloe of being in a canyon with her voice echoing off the steep walls. "Be good to each other."

The blaring alarm blasted her ears with its intensity, startling Chloe where she abruptly sat upright in bed. Seeing the clock, she saw that she enough time to shower and change before work. Two expletives left her lips as she scrambled out of bed. "This is going to be one hell of a day."

Chloe stepped beneath the cascade of hot water, willing it to cleanse away the latest in a series of disturbing dreams. Dreams that came to her in a variety of guises: walking along a river in Heaven and talking with God, dreaming about twin crimson fires reflecting in Lucifer's eyes with skin melted away until raw muscle and bone remained.

She felt the water run over her perspiring skin, washing away the final traces of the previous night's surrealistic images. Chloe leaned into the shower tiles, simply enjoying her blank mind without thoughts or images invading it. She felt the water ping against the gunshot wound, still tender in her left shoulder.

Chloe remembered the bullet passing through her body, the velocity of its impact sent her reeling backwards to land upon broken glass. Lucifer staring at her with wide, dark eyes filled with shock and concern appeared in the flashback. She remembered Delilah's murderer, Jimmy Barnes, in custody, banging his head against the glass until his forehead bled and he screamed, "He's the Devil!"

She remember how Lucifer had grabbed a by the throat when he had been in a fit of rage, throwing him 15 feet through a double-pane, bullet-proof window. Could it be true? Was it even possible? Chloe pondered the questions when she heard the front door slam. She was alone in the house and knew that she wouldn't see Trixie until after school since she had spent the weekend at Dan's apartment.

Chloe quickly turned off the water. After wrapping herself in a towel and grabbing her Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380, she made her way through the house to confront her perpetrator. She did a sweep of the living room and dining room before she noticed the omelet frying in the skillet on the stove.

What the hell?

She heard another thump, turning in that direction and finding the perpetrator who invaded her house was the last person she expected to see.

"Lucifer!"

The towel dropped once her arms relaxed a little after seeing the perpetrator was just her favorite pervert.

Shit.

"Well, good morning, Detective," Lucifer cheerfully greeted her, eye appreciatively all of her natural God-given attributes.

TO BE CONTINUED….-

Notes: Revelation 22:1-2New Revised Standard Version (NRSV): The River of Life 22 Then the angel[a] showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life[b] with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations Song that came to mind during writing of this Chapter: Silent Lucidity by Queensrÿche. Check out the lyrics and you'll see why.


	4. Wearing His Heart On His Wing

Chloe walked into Lucifer's penthouse, still amazed by the opulence that surrounded her. Aged liquors were displayed casually as décor on the sleek glass shelves behind Lucifer's private bar. Where should have been a wall was a nothing but glass which allowed a view a panoramic view of urban Los Angeles. Chloe walked into the penthouse loft, making her way through the dimly lit area. "Lucifer, are you up here?"

"Be out in a jiffy. Just getting ready," he called to her from where she assumed was his bedroom.

"Okay. Did you do what I told you to do and call Carver about the Player's Club?"

"Make yourself a drink, Detective."

"No," she replied sternly. It was time to nip her favorite pervert's bloom in the bud before it blossomed into full-blown obsession. "No. No more drinks. No more blurred lines. No more surprise omelets on Sunday mornings at my house or trying to hook up with me. Look, this relationship remains professional." Chloe talked as she turned around, trying to discern Lucifer's exact location.

She thought she heard the soft footfalls against the hardwood floor. Turning in the direction of the sound, she continued her lecture, "I'm a police officer, and you-"she gasped mid sentence when nothing stood between her and a very toned, masculine, naked Lucifer.

Chloe couldn't help herself as she took in the masculine perfection standing before her akimbo. No hair to speak of anywhere on his body, every contour perfectly shadowed, revealing sleek lines of musculature. Wide shoulders and chest tapered to a slim waist, giving Chloe a full frontal view of Lucifer's God-given given gift nestled prominently in black curls. She blinked once. Twice. Somehow, the words of a dream flitted through her mind.

His light and beauty filled Heaven that no other angel can duplicate.. .

Wide-eyed and slack-jawed, Chloe felt the spell wash away as quickly as it had flowed over her. Mortification replaced fascination from a source she couldn't name when she gasped and the nervous laugh followed. escaped her. She turned away to keep from staring more at the man nude in front of her. "-aren't wearing any clothes."

"Oh, speaking of my surprise visit yesterday, I decided turnabout's fair play. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction," he chuckled at her flushed cheeks and shocked reaction.

Chloe searched for words to answer. "What the hell are you thinking? Put on some clothes."

"Giving you wish fulfillment and I'm doing rather well, wouldn't you say? Number three on the C.K.C. list," Lucifer motioned down to the package he'd been God-given. "Take risks."

Keeping her back too him, she leaned for the black silk robe lying over the back of the leather sofa. She cleared her throat, willing away the awkwardness of the moment, but longing for just one more peak. "Okay, you've convinced that you've lost your mind. Put this on now!"

"Not a problem, but seriously, Darling, are you blind? The berries are ripe and ready for harvest," Lucifer said, swirling the black robe around his waste and turning slowly for to view every angle. "I mean, look at me. Now, you can't argue with that, can you?"

As he slowly pirouetted for her benefit, her eyes caught two long crescent-shaped cars marring the flawless skin on his back. He eyes widened as she wondered who had mutilated in such a way. "Lucifer, What happened to your back? My God-

"Oh, oh, that. Well, I do suppose it was His fault, Detective," Lucifer gave her another charming grin.

"Who did this to you? Whose fault?"

"Oh, well," Lucifer glanced upward. "My father, of course."

"Your father did this to you?" Chloe heard the hoarseness in her own voice.

"No, no, no." Lucifer quickly clarified. "That's where I cut my wings off."

"What?" Chloe blinked, still trying to move past the shock those angry scars branding him. "Who did this to you?"

"Maze did. It's not as though I can walk down the street without drawing unnecessary attention with them blasted things sprouting out my back."

"No, Lucifer," Chloe had trouble finding the right words as her heart broke, knowing someone had willfully done something so cruel to him. "How could you let someone hurt you this way?"

She gently touched his arm, guiding Lucifer to turn around so she could more close examine the scars. Her fingers brushed against the mark where his left wing had once been, her light touch sending a thousand jolts of energy through his entire body. Lucifer had long forgotten how sensitive was the area between his shoulder blades and to have Chloe touch him there was unbearable bliss. While he wanted her touch, he didn't want her pity or compassion. His pride refused to allow him to enjoy her first explorations of him. He wanted her to see him as fulfillment of her desire and as a lover, not as a victim or someone who warranted her sympathy. She stripped away all of his well-constructed shields and touched him deeply where no being had ever been allowed and it frightened Lucifer.

When she touched him, it reminded how much he missed being loved and accepted just as he was. His eyes glistened with more emotion that Chloe had seen and with preternatural speed, he grabbed her wrist. His voice rasped "Don't. . .please."

She wanted to give him comfort and he wanted to deny that he felt alone. "I should get dressed."

As Lucifer dashed into his bedroom to dress, Chloe looked at her hand. She had felt the strong energy that traveled from his skin into her hand when she had touched him. For a moment, as they touched, she had a split second recollection of Josh speaking to her about Lucifer. "Follow your heart and love Lucifer when no one else will," the voice possessed an ethereal quality that reminded Chloe of being in a canyon with her voice echoing off the steep walls. "Be good to each other."

Lucifer felt a foreign emotion flood his being and did his best to push it aside. Had the Detective gone mad? Why had she rejected him without a second thought? No mere mortal had the ability to ignore the carnality that he ignited within; not one. Yet, Chloe Decker spurned him when he'd presented himself without dressing or finery; only his perfect male presence: the illusion that masked scalded red skin and exposed muscle.

He stopped dead while buttoning his shirt.

She had seen his scars where his wings once had been: sickening reminders that he wasn't good enough for Dear ol' Dad to forgive. Lucifer bitterly wondered how a his valid question about free-will had earned him such a fat. Why did angels have it if they weren't allowed to use it and why must everything be preordained?

Dad cast him out to the pits of Hell, yet gave the precarious gift of free agency to Humanity. He'd allow angels to have it, but when used, He punished them for it. He gave it to lesser beings, no matter how charming, and He forgave them. Why?! Daddy Dearest cast him to the celestial curb and cursed him to be burned by Hellfire which marred Lucifer for all eternity.

Had Chloe seen his true self? Had his scars sickened her? If she were immune to his charms, could she see him as he truly was? Scorched. Burned. Imperfect. Monstrous.

His fingers trembled as he finished the last button. Even it took him the rest of eternity, Lucifer vowed to know what made Chloe Decker different from other humans and why she didn't respond to his charms. Somewhere within Lucifer, he knew he didn't want Chloe to see his flaw. He wanted to be a hero in her eyes, if only hers.

Even on a stakeout in the middle of a weeknight, Lucifer never allowed Chloe a dull moment. Sitting in her car in the dark with lights off, she found their conversation witty and engaging, quickly passing away the minutes into hours as they discussed everything from hopes, dreams and religion.

"Something is off-kilter, Lucifer."

"Well, of course, it doesn't. It's a kidnapping, Darling," Lucifer's dismissive air seemed less pompous to Chloe when he tossed a handful of snack into his mouth. He held the half-empty bag toward the Detective in polite offering. "Cool ranch puff?"

"They're all yours," Chloe crinkled her nose, overwhelmed by the fake food and the preservatives scent emanating from the back.

"Are you sure? They're quite yummy, try one." Lucifer wiggled the bag under her nose.

"If you are the Devil, then you could've tempted me far better with an apple," she smiled. "Or a fig."

"Fig?" Twin dark brows arched up at that comment.

"You bet," Chloe said, watching the warehouse. "Best in the universe."

Lucifer blinked a few times at her response before regaining his composure. "Hmm, Not surprising. You've no fun in you at all, Detective. But, it's funny, isn't it? You'd think the former Lord Of Hell would be more of a Siracha and buffalo type, but I must say, I love these bad boys."

"Okay, let's say you really are the Devil, for the sake of argument," Chloe started, staring at Lucifer's reflection via the rear view mirror. She felt silly asking the questions, but now he was invading her dreams and it was a distraction she didn't like.

"Oh, and I'm my own advocate? Oh, you're just full of surprises!"

"All-powerful, immortal, blah, blah, blah," Chloe continued, waving her hand in a motion that signaled 'whatever.' So, if God is your father, is Jesus, your Uncle?"

"Oh, Detective? Really?" Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Could you've asked anything more elementary?"

"Humor me," she said without a smile.

"Well, Father is actually more my 'creator' and all of my siblings and I are 'sons of God, daughters of God'. Then, you have the entire three distinct persons, identical in substance and united in purpose. So, actually, if you must know, Jesus is as much my Creator as He is brother and my father. I wasn't there, you know, when He decided to take his vacation and become the "only Begotten Son.' Back in the primordial day, Darling, we were all just one big happy family before it became complicated."

"Okay," Chloe drawled, trying to comprehend everything she'd ever learned in Sunday School and comparing it to what Lucifer shared. "You're immortal, so you can't be killed."

"No, not even a scratch," he said, popping another cool ranch puff in his mouth.

"Does that mean you don't feel pain at all? How does that work?"

"Hmm. I like this line of questioning. Does this mean you're finally coming around?" he flashed her a smile that he hoped would make grin.

"No. This is just for the sake of argument, remember? Just answer the question." Chloe's impatience was tangible enough to smell and touch.

He gave a wry chuckle, "Well, I I do feel something, but it's not pain so much as, uh, a pressure, a nuisance, really."

"I'll roll with it. So, what does it feel like if you get shot?" Chloe looked forward, thinking she saw a shadow along the perimeter of the warehouse.

Lucifer thumped her soundly on her upper arm.

"Ow."

"Well, you asked."

"But that's it? Like, a bullet just bounces off you? So, you're Superman?"

"Well, there's no wound or blood, if that's what you mean. Can verify with something sharp if you like."

"No, it's not necessary. It's tempting though," Chloe cast him a sideways glance with a hint of a smirk in her eyes.

"So, Detective, does this mean that you believe me? I'm afraid I can't offer anything obvious like horns as evidence."

"No pitchfork?" she mused.

"No, afraid not. That's the stuff of movies and TV."

"Mm-hmm," Chloe didn't know how to answer.

"They always get it wrong," Lucifer said.

"Well, look, I-I have to admit, I've seen some things I can't explain, but I don't believe in all that Bible stuff,"

"So you're an atheist. How ironic."

"No, not exactly. I do believe there's good and evil and right and wrong, but the whole fiery damnation thing? Not so much."

"Does it frighten you?" Lucifer asked for the first time, truly concerned.

"No, I mean, how could I be frightened by something that I doesn't exist?"

"Do I scare you?" Lucifer asked, almost fearing her answer. He liked having the Detective around and the last thing he wanted was her to experience around him was fear. He rather liked the discerning skeptic in the driver's seat.

"No," Chloe answered, a sweetness in her voice that made Lucifer's heart leap into his chest, but he didn't know why.

Lucifer loomed over the young woman, crumpled and sobbing, while she pleaded for her life. "Please don't hurt me.

"Why does everyone say that before they're punished?" Lucifer replied smoothly, feeling the inner fires flare within. Punishing evil always gave him such delight and satisfaction.

"Please, I'm sorry!"

"Lucifer, stop!" Chloe walked into view with her 380 aimed and Lindsay while both eyes were on Lucifer.

"Detective, you should leave," he warned her with a deceptive gentleness usually used by sociopaths and serial killers.

In the reflection of the stainless steel refrigerator, Chloe saw a flash of something of terrifying and inhuman: flaming, pitiless eyes framed by exposed bone, melted skin and charred muscle. Every human instinct caused her muscles to tense, tightening her grip around her firearm. The reflection in the mirror prompted her fear into action, egging her to riddle Lucifer with bullets. She fought the urge to scream and run away in terror. Instead, she chose to slowly lower her 380. Her eyes glanced between the reflection and him, trying to make sense of the monster she'd seen where Lucifer's reflection should have been.

Chloe swallowed hard to contain the fear that swelled within her. "What are you? What the hell are you?"

"Luv, I've been trying to tell you for some time, I'm the Devil," he motioned to the woman whimpering by the refrigerator, the man on the ground clasping his leg in pain and the third one clasping his neck because he had trouble breathing.

Chloe shook her in wild denial, eyes wide from the vision still haunting her. "It can't be. The Devil doesn't exist."

"I assure you, Detective, I do. I mean, you've said yourself, there are things you can't explain." Lucifer's voice came at Chloe with greater speed and intensity, a mental battering ram threatening to push her beyond the rational and the explainable. His provocation left her with no time to think or breath as it increased. "C'mon, Detective, what more proof do you need? You have the bloody pistol in your hand. Shoot me!"

"You don't know what you're asking-"

"Yes, I do and yes you can," Lucifer gave her a cheerful grin. "Go on, now. Give the trigger a good squeeze and we're spot on. Now, damn it, Chloe, aim the gun at me and just shoot me! You know you want to. Do it. Once you do, you'll finally realize-"

The sound of gunfire echoed off the concrete walls as an orange flush exploded from the muzzle. The smell of gun smoke wafted in the air as the bullet found its mark in Lucifer's right leg near the knee.

Chloe stared at Lucifer wide-eyed, mortified by what she had just done. She gasped at her actions and reality hit her when the casing clattered on the warehouse floor. Her jaw fell slack, staring at her partner in shock as her gaze darted to the casing on the floor, his knee and then finally, his eyes.

"Good for you! See? No pain, whatsoever. I can't believe... Gah. Actually, no, it's hurting a little bit. I'm bleeding."

""Of course you're bleeding," Chloe regained her composure, dashing to his side and helped him to the floor. "What was I thinking?"

"Detective, I've never bled. What's happening to me?" Lucifer's confusion mingled with her own chaotic mindset and she had no answer to his question.

Later that night, Chloe lie alone in bed with two books about near-death experiences. Impatiently, she tapped her pen against the pad, reviewing everything that had happened to her since meeting Lucifer: being clinically dead for eight minutes as paramedics tried to revive her, the last thing she remembered before her death was seeing Lucifer splattered with her blood. She didn't know what to make of the strange dreams she had of the Silver City with its towering, gleaming spires and crystalline waters. How could she explain that in her dreams she talked with God? He told her to call her Joshua and gave her a craving for figs. She tried rationalizing all of it, but there was nothing that could wash away what she had seen of Lucifer's reflections

The pain and suffering captured in that reflection made numb and unable to move. Since her near-death experience, she'd been in several dangerous situations and confrontations with suspects and always came out unharmed against countless odds. She felt stronger, faster and more aware of things around that she had before being shot. Her hearing was sharper and her stamina had increased measurably since she had left the hospital. Her marksmanship had improved to one-hundred percent on the firing range. She never missed her mark and her instincts seemed to possess an almost inhuman quality.

Trixie has spotted Lucifer's blood on Chloe's shirt when she had arrived home earlier that evening. In the warehouse, while advancing toward Lindsay and the crime scene, she had scratched herself on a nail jutting out from a stray pallet at waist height. While the scratch hadn't broken the skin enough to make it bleed, it had left behind a three-inch welt that was raw and sore. Chloe lifted up her nightshirt in the same spot where Lucifer's blood had smeared, seeing it was in the same place where she'd scratched herself on the rusty nail. There was only one thing Chloe couldn't explain: the scratch was healed and the welt was gone. No broken skin. In it's place was only unblemished skin. She knew that some of the blood must have found its way into the scratch by accident and Chloe made a mental note to ask Lucifer the next day the last time he'd been tested for STDs.

She knew something was afoot that changed her and changed Lucifer; things she couldn't explain or excuse away with logic or rational. Chloe knew she had to find out the truth.

To be continued. . .

Notes: This is a work in a state of continual progress until completion. While I have no Beta, I am very good friends with my spellchecker. When I post these things in the dead of night, it's usually the next day when I see the extra space, an annoying typo or incorrect punctuation. I believe that writing is an ongoing learning process and I want something you'll enjoy reading without being distracted by sloppy editing or correctable errors. Read fiercely and well!


	5. Love Is a Cold and Broken Hallelujah

Lucifer and all characters mentioned in this tale are the property of Fox, Vertigo Comics and Neil Gaimon. No infringement is meant and this tale is written purely for the love of the show and for no money.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Late April 2016

The Epilogue of Season 1, episode 11: St. Lucifer

Chloe and Lucifer were recently on awkward terms. While working the Tim Dunlear murder investigation, Chloe had ended up in his bed, nude and soft against him after she'd complained it was too hot in penthouse bed. Lucifer couldn't help it if all fallen angels possessed 120 degree body temperature.

Lucifer remembered Chloe's pale skin, long legs and lean muscles combined with feminine curves. While she'd slept, Lucifer held her closely to him, knowing he might never have another opportunity to be so close to Chloe again. Skin against skin, he traced the lines of her body with his index finger, looking at her bare back as he did, wondering how a lovely woman like Chloe Decker couldn't have wings.

She had snuggled against him, her derriere tucked snugly against his manhood which caused an immediate erection to spring forth, pressing against her. When she turned over, he saw himself nestled against her and Lucifer inwardly groaned. "Bloody Hell, Chloe, I can't sodding do this with you."

Lucifer slowly eased himself away from Chloe's cool form, tucking the black satin coverlet snugly around her so she wouldn't catch a chill. Chloe let forth a small moan of protest in her sleep, pleadingly murmuring his name. Something Lucifer couldn't name clenched his heart and painfully squeezed until he blinked back wet emotions. Only Chloe could make him so vulnerable and raw within seconds. He hated the inconvenient human emotions that she prompted in him and he thanked the sleeping woman in his bed for bringing them to him.

After turning Chloe down against his better judgment and questionable sanity, he sat in the dark the dark that night with scotch in hand and contemplated his actions. In the dark, the moonbeams streaming through the penthouse window illuminated Chloe in a silver glow, illuminating her skin so that prisms danced along her skin and a faint aura of rose and gold surrounded her. Lucifer's eyes widened slightly when he saw the unusual gloriole outlining her in his bed.

"Oh, Father, help me understand," he muttered under his breath. "Why her?"

Of course, no answer came as Lucifer sat in the silence, feeling Chloe's presence affecting his body again. Still, Chloe brought out things in him he hadn't experienced in a long time: caring, mercy and even, forgiveness. She didn't want him for what he had between his legs or what favors he granted. She'd stated that she liked worked working with him and that he always had her back.

He remembered how he'd come to the realization of the full extent of his feelings. He sat there in the dark at Lux, drinking his Scotch when he heard his minion's high heels clicking against the marble floor as she headed for the whiskey.

"Looks like someone had a good night," Lucifer played with the switchblade in his hand. "I know bedhead when I see it."

"We're talking again?" Maze asked with a glint of hope in her eyes.

Lucifer chuckled, "Well, never let it be said that the Devil holds on to grudges."

Maze asked in a small voice, "Are we good, then?"

His dark eyes flashed silent warning. "Doesn't mean all is forgiven, mind. I mean, you'd have to do something pretty extraordinary to wipe this slate clean."

A brief silence fell between them. "Lucifer, I fucked Amenadiel."

"And that puts you in my good graces how exactly?" Lucifer asked, unimpressed and not surprised by Maze's revelation.

"Well, I thought he could help me and that's not the case. I've always been loyal to you, Lucifer. Don't you know I'm yours?"

"Yes, well, I suppose that could come in handy, especially since he just tried to kill me," Lucifer's wry reply seemed rather anticlimactic after the evening he'd experienced.

"What?!" Maze's eyes widened, the amazement genuine. She scrutinized Lucifer, looking for blood or wounds and found nothing. "Wait, you were shot?"

"Mm-hmm," he nodded.

"And you didn't bleed? How. . . ?"

"He hired a gunman. I mean, I talked the chap out of it, but then this demented socialite... I mean, it's a long story, but I survived, which is more than can be said for my Armani." Lucifer looked down at his ruined tuxedo, wiggling his index and middle fingers through the bullet holes in the fabric.

"Lucifer, I don't understand," Maze started, shaking her head in confusion. "How could you still be alive?"

"Well, that is the question, isn't it, Maze? Why is it that sometimes I'm immortal..." he gripped the switch blade and slid left palm over the blade. Opening his hand, no would or blood on either his palm or the knife's blade. He scoffed with quiet irony, chuckling. "While other times I'm all too human?"

Maze blinked several times, perplexed by the question. She took a sip of her whiskey. "I don't know."

How could he be wounded by the Detective when Dunlear's wife shot him at point-blank range and only ruined his favorite tuxedo? At Sol de Havier when the restaurant was consumed by fire, Lucifer suffered burns when he'd saved Chloe's life. "The Devil being consumed by fire, oh, the irony." He had quipped.

Only with Chloe was he all too human. Only Chloe made him this way. Chloe. "Oh, that's interesting!"

"What?" Maze asked, not understanding what he meant.

Lucifer abruptly left his half-finished scotch on the bar, but grabbed the switchblade that had fallen out of Malcolm's pocket during their last confrontation. "I need to test a theory."

"What theory?"

He turned toward her as he paused on the stairwell leading to the club's exit. "We're on speaking terms and I don't hold a grudge," he pointed the blade meaningfully at his minion. "But, tread carefully, Maze."

With that, the Devil left Lux and went to his convertible, not even bothering to open the driver's door of the 1962 Corvette. Instead, he lept over it and settled comfortably into the driver's seat. He turned on his secret guilty pleasure, the Chloe Mix, he'd had made up by DJ Annie Mac, one of the best in the City of Angels.

Chloe Decker, his detective, who was strong and precious in his sight. She was a lioness in heels and lipstick, bathed in virtue, sought justice with a pure heart as she listened to voices of the helpless. She was a woman who chose not to be hardened by tragedy or embittered by heartbreak. Chloe Decker was a being of light, guardian of the innocent whom she protected and served. A beacon of compassion among a city of the unholy, she gave others hope that, otherwise, had none. She was a warrior with a golden heart and an iron will wrapped in silk and velvet. Chloe was Lucifer's private saving Grace, an angel that donned a badge rather than possessing wings.

His Club DJ, Hannah, made an amazing mix which he affectionately called Chloe Mix and that guilty pleasure blared from the speakers whenever drove his Corvette. He knew where he was going and why, never having been more anxious. His palms left a wet sheen on his steering wheel as he pulled into the driveway at Chloe's house. He had to know if his theory was true or if it was by coincidence that he hurt only when she was near him.

He cut the engine and leapt from the car, striding up to her front door. He breathed a mental sigh of relief when he saw her lights still on, given the time of night. He repeatedly knocked when she didn't immediately answer.

She opened the door and Lucifer breathed a sigh of relief. "Lucifer, what are you doing here this time of night?"

"May I come in?" he asked, out of breath with anticipation of her answer.

"Who? St. Lucifer, the Devil or my partner?"

"You can rest assured, Detective, that St. Lucifer has retired for the foreseeable future," he assured her and Chloe motioned him inside. With his hands in pockets, he had no idea what he might say next.

"Really?" Chloe raised one skeptical brow. "I just received a text from Kyle saying that an anonymous donation went to Emmet Toussaint's scholarship fund. The sum was enough for a full ride and it came from an unidentified benefactor. Did you have anything to do with that, Lucifer?"

"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies," Lucifer hedged. "Glad it worked out."

"Sure," Chloe gave him a glance as she shut the front door behind them. "Not convinced."

" Listen, Detective," he began.

"I-I want,' Chloe said at the same time.

"You go first," Lucifer offered.

"Where do I start?" Chloe gave a helpless shrug.

"I've always found the beginning is good," Lucifer chuckled.

"I've been thinking a lot about the other night: why I showed up drunk to your place, why you wouldn't sleep with me," she stuttered, looking down at the floor. Lucifer saw Chloe square her shoulders and inhale deeply, gathering strength from an unknown source. Her clear blue eyes finally met his gaze and she took an earnest step toward him. "I think us, whatever this 'thing' is between us, maybe it, it's more than work or friendship or even sex."

"What sex, Detective?" Lucifer scoffed. "Congratulations. You're the first woman to give the Devil blue balls."

"For you, it may be sexual attraction," Chloe sighed. "But, for me, Lucifer, it's something. . .more."

"Then, what is it, Detective?" Lucifer asked in a voice that Chloe strained to hear.

"Whatever it is, I can let my guard down with you and I can't do that with just anyone. I haven't been able to in long time," she stepped forward, laying her hand on his chest.

Lucifer fought the urge to drop the switchblade that he held in his hands behind her back and taste her sweetness for the first time. He didn't want to take her for his pleasure and show her pleasure in return, he wanted more than that but, he didn't know what to name it anymore than what Chloe did.

Chloe closed her eyes and gazed into his eyes, "You make me vulnerable and maybe, that's okay."

"Detective," at the moment of truth, Lucifer slid his closed palm along the knife's blade, hearing quiet slash of metal across flesh as it slid across his palm. Holding his hand in front of him, he saw his blood fill the crease of the cult in his palm and quickly put it behind his back. "If it's any consolation, it appears you make me vulnerable, too."

He stared at her in quiet amazement as the cut burnt with the pain and recognition that Chloe was his private Kryptonite.

Chloe looked down at the floor when she heard his admission, then saw the drops of red on the hardwood floor.

"Lucifer," she grabbed his hand from behind his back and held it closer to inspect. "You're hurt. What happened?"

"I . . ." he stared at her. "Must've cut it on something."

"You don't want that to get infected," she said, turning on the living room light. "We need to disinfect it and get it bandaged. You're coming with me."

"I assure you, Detective, I'm quite fine," he assured her. Chloe didn't listen to his denial as she dragged him to the bathroom.  
Flipping down the toilet lid, she pointed and gave him a harsh command. "Sit."

"I don't need you to play nursemaid-" he protested.

"Shut up and sit," she demanded in her hardest voice. Going to the medicine cabinet, Chloe grabbed a large brown bottle and from beneath the sink, she pulled out a first-aid kit. She didn't see him close the switchblade and return it to his tuxedo pocket.

She reached for something in the medicine cabinet, held his left hand over the sink as she let cool water and soap wash over the bleeding wound.

"Bloody Hell, Woman!" Lucifer swore. "That burns."

"Good!" Chloe gave a satisfied nod. She held the clean wash cloth over the wound with one hand while reaching for the first-aid kit and pulling out some gauze. She put it on the wound, holding it firmly in place. She saw that a drop or two of Lucifer's blood landed on her skin, then seeped into it before disappearing.

Lucifer saw the same thing. He watched in silent amazement as the droplets of his blood on her hand absorbed by her skin and then simply vanished. "Chloe. . . my blood. . .your hand."

"Don't worry about it," she slapped away his right hand as she wrapped the bandaging expertly around his left palm. "You'll be right as rain in a few days. It's not deep enough to need stitches. When you get home, put antibiotic ointment on it."

Chloe turned her attention to the first-aid kit, closing it with one hand while holding Lucifer's bandage with the other. Only Lucifer saw the rose and gold aura appear from her hand when her skin touched his, silver twinkling lights appearing in the aura that felt warm and calming.

"Chloe," he said, a ragged edge in his voice.

Chloe snapped shut the first-aid lid and turned to see that look that she'd seen in Lucifer's eyes only once, maybe twice. Dark eyes gazed upon her as if she were priceless, filled with adoration and tenderness. He looked open and unguarded with only complete honesty and uncertainty in his gaze. She quirked her head to the right in silent question. His right hand came upward, gently cupping her cheek, framing her face and drew her toward him.

She rested his brow on hers, his breathing came in a ragged gasp while Chloe's quickened. Impulsively, Chloe turned her head into his palm, planting her lips there in a lingering kiss.

"Ol aziazor elasa," he murmured brokenly as he breathed in her scent of lilac and orange. He realized in that moment he meant every word as he watched the slash across his hand glow with a soft rose light that made the wound close, leaving a red mark before it shrank and vanished.

"What did you say?" Chloe asked, trying to catch her breath.

She saw him blink several times in stunned silence as he gawked at her, then at his hand and back at her. Lucifer quickly withdrew his hand from hers, perplexed by what just happened. "Excuse me, Detective, while I appreciate you being my personal ministering angel, I really must go."

"Huh?" she said, half-dazed by what had just occurred. "Where are you going?"

"We'll talk soon, Detective." Lucifer called nonchalantly over his shoulder before he slammed the door behind him, leaving Chloe sitting alone with a void in her heart that she hadn't known about before that moment.

Notes: Lucifer's personal playlist he affectionately calls "The Chloe Mix."  
"Take Me To Church," by Hozier  
"Crazy In Love (2014 Remix)" by Beyoncé  
"A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri "  
"Hurt" by Johnny Cash  
"Let It Go," from Frozen as a cover by a talented male singer.  
"Let It Rock," by Kevin Rudolf featuring Lil Wayne  
"My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)" by Fall Out Boy  
"Sometimes It Snows In April," by Prince,  
"Hallelujah" -a cover by Pentatonix, "  
"Peach" by Prince  
"The Walker" by Fitz and the Tantrums  
"In The Air Tonight" by Natalie Taylor  
"Good Girls" by Elle King.  
"She Gave Her Angels." by Prince  
"Love Runs Out" -One Republic.  
Per an Enochian to English translator that I found on line, "Ol aziazor elasa" means "I love you."


	6. But This Is Not Our Fate

Notes: This chapter takes place 04/26/2016 during the two day time period between Season One Finale and the Season Two Premiere. All the characters appearing in Lucifer are copyright Vertigo Comics/ Fox Television. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are the property of Denigoddess 2001 aka Arken_Stone1. Chapter Text

April 26, 2016

Chloe sat in Dr. McCoy's office, shifting uncomfortably from one side of the chair to the other, anticipating what news the doctor might share with her after she received a call from the clinic asking her to come visit personally with the doctor. Chloe nervously crossed her legs, uncrossed them, fidgeted with her hair and flipped through an outdated magazine with the mailing label cut off, wondering how a doctor could be late when the waiting had appeared empty.

The doctor's personal office was completely silent as Chloe thumbed through the magazine, looking an outdated article about the latest celebrity power couple breakup. The air around her lingered with the faint hint of some potpourri candle that smelled more than a dusty furnace than any pleasant scent Chloe could identify. She grew frustrated with each passing moment as the magazine pages stuck together, refusing to pull apart when she tried to turn the page to see whether or not a famous royal European couple were expecting their fourth child.

Dealing with a case of dry-mouth caused by nervous impatience, Chloe decided a cool breath mint was the solution. The sweet coolness on her tongue gave her the much-needed relief of the dry, sandpaper feeling in her throat. Annoyed, she looked at her cell phone, rolling her eyes when she realized she'd been sitting alone in the office for the longest twenty minutes of her life.

The door opened and Dr. McCoy entered. A tall, statuesque woman in her mid-fifties with long black hair swept neatly into a chignon and designer glasses hanging from a decorative chain around her neck, she appeared more a caring aunt whom Chloe had known for years rather than a white-coated medical professional who didn't know Chloe from a tongue depressor.

"Chloe, thank you for coming on such short notice," Dr. McCoy sat down at her desk with a file in hand. "I wanted to discuss personally the results of some of your lab work."

Chloe managed to swallow, feeling the new breath mint feel like a boulder as it slide down her throat in one gulp. 'Oh, shit. She going to tell me I cervical or uterine cancer."

"Chloe Jane Decker," Dr. McCoy used the Detective's full name with a tone that made Chloe feel as though she was being lectured by her mother after beating up the neighborhood bully. "I have known you since you were seven. I know you take excellent care of yourself: vegan, yoga and Pilates and you love your coffee."

"Yes, Doctor," Chloe answered slowly. "There is a 'but' in there somewhere, isn't there?"

"Yes," Dr. McCoy confirmed putting on her cardinal red designer frames, sliding them up the bridge of her nose. Tapping her pen against her desk, she opened the file. "I ordered your tonsils removed when you were twelve. I know you had an appendectomy when you were 23, a gunshot wound on your left shoulder from last February and your blood type is O positive or was."

"What's wrong, Doctor?" Chloe asked, trying not to sigh in frustration from the suspense of what the doctor had yet revealed. "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing, Chloe." Dr. McCoy said quietly. "I checked your throat the other day as part of your regular physical. The scar on your left shoulder caused by the gunshot wound is gone, you've regrown your tonsils and per your x-rays from your gunshot wound, you've regrown your appendix. Also inexplicable: your blood type has changed from O Positive, the most common blood type, to AB negative; the rarest one."

"Is that due to cancer or a health condition?" Chloe scooted up to the edge of her seat.

"Neither, young lady," Dr. McCoy replied, staring hard at Chloe over the rims of her designer red spectacles. One manicured red nail adjusted them, then she steepled her hands just beneath her chin. "Your body has regenerated so that your scars are gone, removed body parts have regenerated and I wouldn't be half-surprised if you your appendix has grown back. In other words, Chloe, you're in the peak of health and I don't know how it's happened."

Chloe sat stoically in the nondescript business chair, nodding once in understanding. She hadn't thought much of it and she didn't have evidence, but in her gut, she knew the answer. Now, she wanted proof.

"So, what's your prognosis?" Chloe kept her voice steady and neutral, despite trembling to the core of her soul.

"There is no plausible scientific reason to explain these changes. The last blood draw my nurse took from you in February was in late November 2015 and your blood was O positive. Something happened between November and February and it changed."

"Hmm," her non-committal answered barely kept her questions in check.

"Your blood is like that a child, Chloe. There are no antibodies, pollutants or free-radicals. It's as if you were born yesterday."

"Sometimes, I feel that way," she blinked several times trying to absorb the incredible information revealed by Dr. McCoy.

"You told me once in one of your post-surgical checkups that you started having odd dreams after your NDE and when you came out of your three-day coma. You told me that you felt as though you had come back as a different person, changed somehow," Dr. McCoy took off her glasses to truly look at Chloe. "This isn't the first time that I've heard of things like this happening and I don't discount it."

"What do you mean?"

"I think you experienced an NDE, a near-death experience, and that you somehow changed at the molecular level," Dr. McCoy tapped her red lips in contemplation. "There's not much scientific study behind it, but I think there may be something to it in your case because you're the third person in my 30 years of practice in which I've seen this happen. The second one was your mother, Penelope, shortly before she became pregnant with you when she had that accident on that movie…" Dr. McCoy impatiently snapped her fingers, tapping her temple. "I know the name of it, I've seen it a dozen times."

"Night of the Apocalyptic Zombies?" Chloe mused with a slight smirk.

"That's it!" Dr. McCoy grinned. "That movie was always a favorite."

After their mutual laughter died, the room filled with a heavy awkwardness. Chloe loudly cleared her throat, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "Doctor, I know you're spiritual and you believe in the supernatural."

"I would be a good Catholic if I didn't, Chloe."

"Do you believe in the Devil?" Chloe asked in a small voice.

"Yes."

"Do you believe he's evil?"

"Absolutely."

"Can he take on physical form and bleed like a human?" Chloe used her courage to put forth the question that she'd been thinking about for months.

"The Devil can do many things, but I'm the wrong person to ask, Dear. I'm a doctor, not a priest." Leanne McCoy pushed the fashionable red frames up the bridge of her nose. Leanne smoothed her black pencil skirt and the heals of her red patent pumps clicked across the wood laminate floor of her office. Sitting down behind her desk, she opened the middle drawer and handed Chloe a business card face down. "If you want questions about that sort of thing in this day and age, you'll need to have an angel on your shoulder."

"I may have one," she said, thinking of Lucifer. Chloe recalled how her close brush with death in late January, she'd noticed that she had been different. She had discount the strange dreams and the constant craving for figs. She'd noticed that her senses had improved, agility and marksmanship had improved shortly after being shot. Chloe noted her relationship with Lucifer had also changed where she understood him without him having to speak a word. He brought in her traits and feeling she didn't think she possessed or had lost through loss of naivety after being on the force for several years. The rapport they had developed had remained unspoken and unnoticed for the past several months. He inspired an emotional vulnerability that she though had been long-lost, but she was fine with it, because Lucifer always had her back.

Chloe had seen what had happened that night in Mid-February when she'd shot him because the prick had egged her on to do until she gave into the temptation and fired her weapon. His charms seemed to work on her more so, she noticed, when she was experiencing intense emotion, whether it be anger or anguish; it didn't matter. Only when she was in complete control of emotions and had her defenses in check did she find herself able to withstand Lucifer's persuasive abilities. The answer lied within on person: Lucifer Morningstar.

"Doctor, I know you've always had a side fascination for the paranormal and the unexplained," Chloe started. "That's how you and Mom became friends. What if I told you that I think I may know the answer to this?"

"You know how this happened to you?" The Doctor leaned forward with keen interest. "Go on."

"Not a what, but a who," Chloe thought it better not to reveal too much to her old family friend. "What if I told you that my partner thinks he's the Devil?"

"What?" Dr. McCoy abruptly straightens, blinking several times without speaking. "What is he like? Does he have red hair, green eyes, an extra vertebrae?"

"No," Chloe laughed. "He's actually tall, dark and handsome with an English accent. He's a cross between James Bond and Sherlock Holmes."

"Any proof?"

"Well," Chloe paused, "I've seen things that I can't explain. I mean, Doc, I've seen Lucifer throw a man halfway across a room through a tempered glass window. I've seen his eyes glow bright red a few times and I always chucked it up to just being a trick of the light. He moves faster than anyone I've seen and he just has this way of getting people to tell the truth."

Silence fell between them.

"Do you think I'm crazy or have am I short a bullet in my gun?"

"No," Leanne slowly shook her head, "but I wouldn't be broadcasting this to the world if I were you. Dark, penciled brows arched behind red eyeglass frames. "Fascinating. I wonder, could you possibly get me a DNA or blood sample?"

"I can try, but it's not like he's going to open his mouth and things come out, but he won't hold still long enough to let me swab it. But, if I asked, I bet he'd come here to volunteer to give you any sample you needed," Chloe chucked. "Then, he'd try to sleep with you."

"A blood sample would be ideal; bodily fluids are unnecessary," Dr. McCoy chuckled. "If you can get me that, I may be able to answer your questions."

"I think I'm going crazy, Doc," Chloe admitted, shrugging helplessly. "Your conspiracy theories are actually starting to sound possible."

"Get me a blood sample and we'll find out," Dr. McCoy replied. "I've always had a fascination for this sort of thing, but if such things exist, then the people who know about them cover their tracks very well."

"So, what about UFOs, the Illuminati and Sasquatch?"

"One conspiracy theory at a time, Chloe." Dr. McCoy laughed. "Get me a sample of something I can stick under a microscope and then we'll talk."

Easier said than done, but I'll see what I can do," Chloe promised.


	7. A Study In Chloe Or Denying The Devil

Chloe handled the new sidearm in her hands, thinking it felt identical to her Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380. She had traded in for a new pistol because she found laser sight essential to good aim and eagerness to try out the new pistol made her get up bright and early to get to the LAPS firing range. The pistol made of polymer and steel felt cool and balanced in her grasp, a natural extension of herself as she gripped the heavier the hilt. A day at the firing range was just the thing she needed to clear her mind.

Once there, she checked in and had several extended magazines. She wanted to see how it felt compared to her old carry. She slid in the first magazine, hearing that click of the magazine as it fit perfectly gave her a feeling of peace that she hadn't felt in some time. Ear protection in place, she aimed at the target. Two things always felt right to Chloe: solving a case and shooting a target.

Six shots per magazine at twenty-five hundreds of a second didn't seem too long. What surprised Chloe was how quickly the magazines left the 380 and a new one slipped in place. Several minutes and cartridges later, Chloe only found one hole in her target that she had shot at continuously. She counted the clips, six. She counted the cartridges on the ground: 36. She knew she hadn't missed 35 times; she'd shot bull's-eyes with all 36 bullets.

Dr. McCoy wanted a sample of Lucifer's blood for study, Chloe wanted answers. The connection was clear: somehow Lucifer's blood affected her and she wanted to know why and how. Chloe was an excellent shootist, but she'd never hit 36 bull's-eyes in a row. Chloe took out her notepad, scribbling notes on her findings.

Chloe spent the next hour online doing research about female weightlifters. Chloe had noticed subtle changes in her body frame such as more definition to her triceps, biceps and abdominal muscles. She did dead lifts and bench presses, coming stronger than 90% of women her age. Definitely a marked improvement. Chloe found an employee to time her at the track and she did a 75 yard run in less than 17.5 seconds. She had never ran that fast or had been that strong.

Now, she wanted to test the non-empirical things. Chloe remembered how Lucifer had done his "voodoo-hypnotism eye-thing" on more than one subject of interest in investigations, getting someone to spill their greatest desire, telling her more than once it worked best on uncomplicated, weak-willed individuals. Chloe closed her eyes, remembering how Lucifer moved in close to the unsuspecting target, stare that person directly in the eyes and asked him or her truest, secret desire in a calm, charming voice. She needed a test subject.

The local coffee shop was perfect.

Chloe went in and order her usual coffee, staring at the Barista and wondering how Lucifer did it. He looked innocent enough, maybe early twenties with sandy blonde hair and green eyes. She studied him carefully, waiting until he was ringing up her cappuccino when she zeroed in on her unsuspecting prey.

"How much do I owe you," Chloe looked at his name tag, then returned her gaze to him. "Michael?"

She thought, 'How would Lucifer do this? Smile, flirt, turn up the sex meter to eleven.' Chloe gave the younger man a slow smile and looked at him with large, innocent eyes.

"Uh-$2.10, Miss," he stuttered.

Chloe felt a small electric current similar to static electricity move along her skin and a tingling of anticipation as she leaned in a few inches closer. She asked Michael in a sultry voice. "If I asked you a question, would you answer it?"

"Ma'am?" his eyes widened, not sure what to say to the woman only a few inches from him.

"What is your innermost desire, Michael?" Chloe focused all of her energy into her voice as it were a bullet headed for a target. "What do you want most?"

"I-I," he stammered, at a loss for words. "I -"

"Yes?" Chloe's slow purr was meant only for his ears.

"I want to be a Chippendale's dancer!" Michael blurted, his hand shaking as he handed Chloe her cup of coffee. "I used to dance in front of the locker room mirror in high school and use a towel like a stage prop."

Chloe dropped her cup of coffee with hot liquid splattering everywhere on her and the Barista. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Michael blinked as if coming out of a deep trance. "I'm sorry."

"No, I dropped it," feeling guilty of having unsettled him that way. "Did you get burnt?"

"No, Ma'am, I'm good."

"Hey, I just need another cup and I'm good."

"On the house, Ma'am," he mumbled as his cheeks flamed bright red.

"No, that's okay!" Chloe held up her hand and in the other gave him a five-dollar bill. "Just take the cash and keep the change as a tip."

Chloe gave her next test subjects more thought. She struck up a conversation in a nearby park with an elderly woman whose deepest desire had been to have married her first love. Riding around the city, Chloe tried it from the backseat of a taxi while staring at the driver in the rear view mirror who admitted he wanted to play King Lear. Her last subject was a teller at her local bank who told her she wanted to marry Justin Bieber.

Chloe scribbled in her notes, "eye-contact, complete attention focused on subject, use of given name especially effective, physical contact enhances the effect."

Strength, agility, hand-to-eye coordination, persuasion: all improved and it wasn't mere a coincidence. Every time Chloe used the eye-to-eye desire technique, it became easier for her. She felt the tingle grow stronger and that warm rush of adrenaline course through her. Is this what it felt like for Lucifer whenever he did this to a person? If it worked on others, then why didn't it work on her? That was one of the answers that evaded her.

Chloe returned to the park, sitting alone on the bench reading her notes. Shaking her head in amazement, there was only one experiment left to try and it was the one she had dreaded doing all day. Pulling out a pocket knife, she nicked the end of her pinky finger, watching as a droplet of her blood formed on her fingertip.

"Hey, Ma'am," a deep, gravely voice greeted her, startling Chloe out of her silent reverie. "Don't you think that's a little dangerous what you're doing there?"

She looked up to see a man somewhere between thirty and sixty; his age indeterminable She noticed his salt and pepper hair, thick horseshoe mustache and his tall, lanky build. Somehow, this stranger seemed familiar, but Chloe couldn't place him, but she recognized that resonant voice with a Texas drawl."

"Oh," Chloe put the pocketknife inside her purse. "I was clumsy."

She studied the man who sat down beside her. Ruggedly handsome were the words that entered Chloe's mind as she studied him. 6'2", around 185 lbs. and all tall, lean muscle. Dressed in a simple black tee shirt, jeans and black motorcycle boots, he wasn't as imposing when he sat next to her.

"You're playin' with fire, Ma'am, and you don't know what you're dealing with," he said, leaning back against the park bench.

"I didn't catch your name," she said, cool and collected.

"Josh Johnson," he extended one large hand. Chloe noted the callused hands and the weathered skin as they shook hands. This was a man who wasn't afraid of hard work.

Where had she seen him before? He didn't invoke an instinct of fear or wariness. Chloe sensed he was very familiar and didn't know from where or how. "Josh Josephson?"

"No, Ma'am, only in your dreams" he chuckled. "Tried that name and too much of a mouthful. Johnson's easier."

"Have we met?"

"In a way," he mused, pulling out a familiar-looking fruit. He popped into his mouth a small morsel shaped like a weather balloon that had a sweet, spicy aroma. He offered on to her. "Would you like one?"

"What is it?" she asked, knowing she'd seen it recently.

"It's a fig," Josh answered, chewing on the fruit.

"Where's it grown?"

"As close to Heaven as I can get," he chuckled.

"Best in the universe?" she answered automatically. Those words chimed in her memory as she looked at the small, dark fruit in her hand. She remembered the sweet taste and chewy texture from recently eating one. She took the one he offered, but didn't eat it. Instead, she studied it, turning it over her hand.

"Yup," Josh eyed her as she studied the fig. "Sam offers Eve an apple and gets her to eat it. I offer you the fruit of heaven and you look at it like it's poisoned." Chloe asked. She considered the reference. Sam, Eve, Apple. Cowboy. Fig. Heavenly Fruit. Hmm.

Chloe's eyes widened as understanding flooded her thoughts. Sam, Eve, Apple. Lucifer. Dreams, Cowboy. Fig. Heavenly fruit. God. Lucifer's dad. Dreams. Silver City. Heaven. She tried wrapping her head around everything jumbled in her mind as multiple epiphanies exploded in a rapid-fire process. All the strange dreams over the past few months weren't only dreams. She wondered if she was learning to love Lucifer's crazy, projected world?

"You've been pushing some boundaries today, Young Lady," he said quietly, but with kindness. "You're dealing with something you're not used to dealing with."

"You can say that again," Chloe shook her head in quiet amazement. She pointed skyward. "So, you're...Him?"

"Pretty much," Josh answered, settling comfortably on the park bench, munching on a fig.

"Ma'am, I've been around since I was a kid. Sounds like you've got some new ammo for a pretty powerful sidearm."

"Yeah, I tested it on the range today. Very powerful for its size."

"Do you mind if I call you Chloe?"

"Not at all.

"Just a word of advice, Chloe," Josh's warmth made her think back to her own dad when she was a little girl. "I think anytime you can affect people in general, in a positive way, then you're a lucky individual. I don't mind you testing some things, Chloe, new things you've discovered about Sam- Lucifer. Darlin', you're messing with people's free will isn't one of them."

"I had to know -"

"You already know more than most, but you don't believe," Josh glanced at her finger and she looked down, seeing there was no cut or blood remaining. "Right now, in this world there are those who don't believe in themselves and need a little faith from others who matter to them. They're confused trying to find their way, wrapped up in their own egos, but trying to break out and be better that what they were the day before. You can't mess with will, Chloe, or you go against the laws of nature."

"No."

"You can tempt or inspire, but, you don't mess with other's free will. What they carry around in their heads is between them and Me. Only exception is when you can save an innocent or stop some evil.

"Kinda sounds like someone I know," Chloe looked downward, guilt settling in where the thrill of power had been.

"Don't feel too bad," Josh said with a baritone drawl. "It gets to most when they first try it. Just don't use it unless you have to. If it's any consolation, you're doing better with it than most. I have another boy who needs his ass whooped for going off the rails, so I plucked a few of his feathers so he can't do any more damage for awhile. Well, for Lucifer, you him pretty well, Chloe. He is someone who's trying to be a better man, but he's lost and you can help him. Don't let power get in the way of who you are, Chloe."

"The only help he wants is with what's in his pants," she scoffed, cynicism overtook her heart in that moment.

"Then, you show him what he's wearing on his sleeve and make sure he doesn't break it," Josh answered, then rose from the park bench and ambled to the Harley-Davidson parked near the street curb. "It's been a pleasure, Chloe."

"Wait," she called after him. "What do I do?"

"Ask, look for it, find it, accept it and it breaks wide open," he gave her a smile that she recognized. "You're a smart woman and I'm never too far away. Just ask."

"Will I see you again?"

"Oh, yeah. You know, you could talk to Me more often than you do," he started up the motorcycle before putting on his helmet. "I miss the talks we used to have. We'll have a few more, so catch up on your sleep."

She watched the biker-meets-cowboy ride away into the distance and she shook her head in disbelief.

The strange episode in the park with Josh Johnson stayed with her even into the next day when she and Lucifer were working a new case. They walked quickly to the murder scene, seeing it taped off ahead of them.

"Is it good to be back on a studio set, Detective?" Lucifer chimed.

"Not really, I have stuff on my mind, but I'll worry about that later," Chloe's brisk remarked warranted a brow quirk from Lucifer.

He chuckled, "It's bringing back memories of your acting days? If you're feeling nostalgic, Detective, I'm sure I can find some horny teenagers and a hot tub. 'Cause the movie you were in was -"

"Yeah, I got it. Not. Now. Lucifer."

"Is everything all right, Detective? Did you wake up on the wrong side of your gun this morning?" he asked, surprised by her lack of response. "You seem distracted. Usually, I get at least a glimmer of a smile from my remarks, the occasional eye roll. I think I got a snort once."

"Two days ago, you were shot point-blank and now you're healed," Chloe grabbed him by the arm, stopping him mid-stride. "How is that possible?"

"Ah, well, no need to thank me for my heroism. Well, maybe just a little, Detective. No one's stopping you."

"There was blood all over you.," Chloe motioned toward him. "You should be dead."

Lucifer gave a casual shrug, "Well, par for the course for our adventures, Detective. What's new?"

"I have a sample of your blood and I'm gonna take it, test it and find out exactly what you are once and for all." Chloe thought it sounded more like a self-dare than a promise to her partner.

"The Devil himself?"

"No, I'm guessing Larry Morningstar, the son of a plumber in Connecticut," she cut through his charm with sarcasm.

"Right, well, wrap that up, would you? 'Cause I could use your help on my end."

"This isn't over, Lucifer, not by a long shot," Chloe vowed. She made a mental note that she'd get to the bottom of this and one of three things could be the only possible conclusion.  
1) Either she or Lucifer was insane  
2) Lucifer was a liar.  
3) Once the unlikely was eliminated, no matter how infeasible, what's left must be the truth.

TO BE CONTINUED….


	8. Truth, Tribe and Tequila

Chapter Text

Chloe studied the slender glass vile that she held in her hands, slowly twirling it end over end. She deliberated whether or not to give it to Dr. Leanne McCoy for lab testing to find out the truth about Lucifer or to leave sleeping giants lie. She knew through her self-study of the past few days, she wasn't the woman she once was. Since being shot at the beginning of the year, Chloe knew she had come back . . .different. Not wrong or tainted, but somehow, she came back a changed woman.

Increased sight, hearing, smell, agility accompanied by greater strength and agility. The fact that if she cut herself she healed and that she had an ability to speed the healing of others. None of this she ever believed possible until Lucifer Morningstar entered her life.

Chloe rolled her eyes, letting loose a dark laugh as she remembered Amenadiel's lame attempts to convince her that Lucifer suffered from Histrionic Personality Disorder. As he rationalized Lucifer's behavior with bizarre actions such as shooting himself in the stomach, exploding blood packs and trying to explain Lucifer's voodoo-eye-mojo thing as neural linguistic programming and blame Lucifer's mental state on a bad childhood, Chloe felt her temper simmer and she an unusual flash of cold behind her blue eyes.

Chloe tossed the vial of blood into the waste can and left the station for the evening.

A powerful instinct of suspicion and foreboding surrounded her as she made her way toward the front doors of the Police Station. 'I have one chance to find out who or what he is and how he's affected me.'

Chloe turned around, almost running from the front doors to her desk, retrieving he blood vial from the waste can and pushing it deeply into her coat pocket.

Chloe knew one thing about her partner and friend, whatever or whomever he was, he was no liar. She successfully resisted the urge to belt him into the next room of Lux. Still, why was Amenadiel determined to convince her of Lucifer's supposed mental illness? Chloe felt alone without anyone to speak to about it except Lucifer. At that moment, she decided she wanted to know more.

Whomever or whatever Lucifer was, Amenadiel wanted her to drop it and not investigate further. Yet, the changes that occurred in her body left Chloe is a state of disbelief. She needed answers. Whatever affected her might affect Trixie and for every action, there was an equal and opposite reaction. Once on the road, she made a quick call.

"Dr. McCoy here," a low, husky voice answered on the third ring.

"Doctor, it's Chloe Decker," she breathed deeply. If she went forward with this action, there was no returning to the safety of ignorance. "I have it."

"You have it?" Leanne's husky voice rose an octave.

"I do," Chloe confirmed, fighting the urge to run the red light that took too long to turn green. "How soon can you test the sample?"

"How long will it take you to get to my office?"

"I can meet you in fifteen."

"Does anyone else know about this sample?"

"Lucifer knows," Chloe answered, tapping her fingers impatiently on the steering wheel as she waited for the light to turn green.

"And he's doing nothing to discourage you?" Leanne made no attempt to the incredulity in her voice.

"Not at all," Chloe said, gunning the car as the light finally became her favorite color. "In fact, he insists that I have it tested. It's his brother, Amenadiel, who tried to rationalize everything Lucifer has done."

"We'll test it and we'll find out once and for all if the devil is in the details," Leanne replied, glee lacing her voice. "Be careful getting over here."

"Yes, Mom." Chloe chuckled.

Three hours later, the doctor state at her desk in stark silence with the blood vial in her hands. "I ran your blood sample in comparison to Lucifer's and a strange thing happened while I was in the lab."

"Hmm," Chloe sat with arms folded and her face in a careful, neutral expression.

"When the samples were far apart, both appeared as AB negative. However, when I had them closer together and studied Lucifer's sample under the microscope, it changed."

"Changed?" Chloe's eyes widened slightly. "That's impossible."

"Exactly, that's impossible," Leanne agreed. "So, I decided to do some empirical testing. While only a few feet apart, I noticed that some of Lucifer's Blood Turned O Positive right under the lens. There weren't any other blood samples in the labor other than yours and his. When I moved yours further away, by the time I returned to the lens, Lucifer's blood possessed antibodies to fight against A and B antigens."

"In English, Doc?" Chloe shrugged.

"Antigens are protein molecules. Think of them as birds. Birds of a feather flock together, so people with A positive blood can accept A positive blood or O positive Blood. Then, you have the antibodies that defend against these antigens, considering them invaders. If someone, for instances is A positive and gets a transfusion of AB negative blood, the antibodies are going to attack the antigens and destroy them."

"Like fighting an infection or disease."

"Bingo," Leanne rose from behind her desk. "I thought it was insane and just me misinterpreting the data, but I tested the theory three times, Chloe. Whenever your blood is in proximity to Lucifer's, his blood undergoes a metamorphosis from AB negative to O positive. In the span of a few minutes, it loses some of its unique qualities and becomes mundane. However, when your blood is near his, the antibodies in your blood increase exponentially, making you Wonder Woman."

"So, what does that mean?" Chloe asked.

"When Lucifer is close to you, is he prone to injury?"

"He does some very reckless, dangerous things," Chloe admitted. "One time, he tried convincing me that he is the Devil. He goaded me to shoot him and I did."

"What was his reaction?" Leanne leaned forward, focused on Chloe.

"He said, 'bloody hell, that hurt!'" Chloe chuckled for a second with a horrible imitation of an English accent. "I almost believed him."

"Something about you makes him vulnerable," Leanne's brow furrowed in contemplation.

"He said the same thing, Doc." Chloe remembered that night when she'd opened up to him about how their 'thing' went beyond work or sex. 'It seems, Detective, that you make me vulnerable, too.'

"Somehow, you siphon his energy, his strength, his abilities when you're around him and absorb them," Leanne shook her head. "The question is how?"

"The Devil is in the details?"

"If he truly is who he claims, you are messing with forces that are beyond any mere mortal's ability to understand. Destroy this blood sample and let no one know you've ever had it," Leanne's voice became urgent. "You can't tell anyone of this change that occurs in you when you're around Lucifer. Most of all, you can't let him know. To do so puts yourself at risk and the Devil is a very powerful entity."

"You believe him?" Chloe gave her old friend a skeptical glance. "Really?"

"Do you have a better suggestion?"

"Equipment malfunction," Chloe suggested. "Some element of contamination during the lab tests."

"No, these microscopes are state-of-the-art," Leanne shook her head, handing the vial to her. She pushed her red frames so they fit perfectly "I've destroyed my samples and I'm going to burn the data. If this information gets into the wrong hands, you might find yourself on the Devil's bad side."

"Lucifer always has my back," Chloe rebelled against Leanne's notion that Lucifer was more than an eccentric nightclub owner with a penchant for arrogance, a gift for making people of both sexes melt and an overdose of charm. "He'd never hurt me."

"Or he may be using you to his own ends," Leanne started feeding her data sheets into a nearby shredder to the left of her desk. "If I were you, I'd sever your connection immediately to keep you and Trixie safe. If he's here, then others like him can't be far behind and you don't want to be caught in a war against the Host and Fallen."

"What do you mean?"

"Grab some holy texts and start reading, my friend," Leanne fed the final page of her documents into the shredder. Standing up, she pushed a stray black strand out of her face, tucking it behind one ear. Readjusting her eyeglasses, she pursed her lips in contemplation. "The last time Lucifer went to war, he had his ass kicked."

"I believe in good and evil, right and wrong, but the Devil and God? No, I don't get into the whole religious thing."

"You have a partner who has done inexplicable things on several occasions that can't be rationally explained, Chloe," Leanne's voice rose and became harsher with each word. "You don't know what or whom you're dealing with. Stop sticking your head in the sand and damn it, be a detective. While you're at it, I'd talk to some clergy, have your house blessed, get some holy water and anything else to keep the Devil away. You need to educate and protect yourself."

Well into the night and several cups of coffee later, Chloe's vision blurred from fatigue and her mind was tied in knots from absorbing massive amounts of information. She covered holy texts from several faiths, Wikipedia and . What nightclub had its own Wiki site?

Chloe ran her finger through the stray strands of her ponytail, studying her list and starting her forth cup of coffee.  
1) Lucifer had a rough childhood.  
2) Lucifer wanted to be equal to God.  
3) Lucifer's pride got the best of him, he fought a war and he lost.  
4) Lucifer was kicked out of Heaven.  
5) He's responsible for all of the evil in the world.

Lucifer never lied and he always had her back. After pouring over some texts about Angelology, she found out another name he'd been given throughout the ages was Samael, the Lightbringer. His story differed quite from the one she'd learned a child in Sunday School.  
1) He wasn't God's first angel, but Samael was His favorite.  
2) Samael didn't believe in predestination. He rebelled in favor of free will.  
3) He didn't lose a war, he was kicked out of Heaven into Hell to cool his heels for awhile.  
4) He became the Lord of Hell.

Finally, Chloe studied her notes of everything that Lucifer had said to her of significance about his being the Devil to see how it compared with the varying versions of the man, the myth and the legend.  
1) When investigating Delilah's death, Lucifer said he was immortal.  
2) He'd once mentioned Silver City. She'd only told Leanne about it and how she'd dreamt being there.

Chloe had a hard time with #3: It was a time when Lucifer was convinced she had turned against him and thought him capable of murder. "Well, well, Detective, where do I begin? With the grandest fall in the history of time? Or perhaps the far more agonizing punishment that followed? To be blamed for every morsel of evil humanity's endured, every atrocity committed in my name? As though I wanted people to suffer. All I ever wanted was to be my own man here; to be judged for my own doing and for that? I've been shown how truly powerless I am. That even the people trusted: the one person, you, could be used to hurt me."  
4) Lucifer couldn't get drunk, "Pesky supernatural metabolism keeps getting in the way."

The one connection that made any sense was "Silver City." That was the missing thread that Chloe decided to follow back to the source. With renewed inspiration, she pushed the books aside, returning to a website that had mentioned the mystical metropolis of the afterlife. Another twenty minutes turned up some interesting factoids.  
1) Silver City was "outside the created order of things" and apparently predated the rest of Creation.

Chloe didn't want to believe, but Lucifer had never lied to her yet; why would he start now? It explained why Amenadiel was anxious to discourage further investigation of Lucifer and anything about his past. As Leanne had said, "If he's here, then others like him can't be far behind and you don't want to be caught in a war against the Host and Fallen."

So, Chloe refocused her attention on the name, "Amenadiel." After tracing his name through interlinear scriptures back to its oldest Aramaic roots, she found that Amenadiel was God's first angel, his name meaning "The Truth of God." Chloe's tenacity for finding evidence proved fruitful. Amenadiel was also known as Ametiel. Along with his brothers, Gabriel and Michael, he opposed the creation of Humanity. As punishment, the feathers from his wings were burned away, making them grow back sooty gray rather than the dazzling white like those of his brothers. Before the forth cup of coffee wore off, Chloe's tired eyes say the first blue and pink rays of morning pour through her front window.

Mid-October 2016

Chloe felt frustration well up and she pushed it down. She refused to let emotions get in the way of her investigation of a double homicide. Lucifer had suggested that she and Maze go out on thee town, work some of Maze's contacts to see what she could dig up about the triangular stamp found on one of the victim's inner wrists. So far, Frustration: Home Run. Detective: Zilch.

"Good one, Decker," Maze gave slow applause, laughing at Chloe's failed attempt at getting information. "On how not to get laid."

"I'm not trying to get laid, Maze." Chloe said, exasperated at Lucifer's private attendant's needling.

"I don't get it," She gave Chloe a puzzling look, taking another swig of her beer.

"Maze, what's not to get?" Chloe snapped. "Two women have died and their killer needs to be brought to justice."

"Well, did you talk to the bartender?"

"Yeah. He said something was going on across the street in the abandoned building. I put a call in for a warrant to the judge, and I'm waiting to hear back." Chloe started sorting through the murder file, looking for anything that might fill in the missing pieces.

"Great. Looks like you have some time to kill," Maze pulled the Piña Colada out of Ella's hands, plunking it in front of Chloe. "Have a drink."

Ella shrugged as she saw her party-in-a-glass back in Chloe's possession and didn't miss the forced smile plastered on Maze's face.

Chloe shook her head, a look of defeat in her eyes "No, I'm gonna call it a night."

Ella saw her turn away and saw her opportunity. Reaching past Maze, she snatched back the coveted mixed drink, taking a hardy sip of the sweet beverage. She saw a blonde walk over to them and greet them as if she knew them.

"Hello, ladies," The blonde greeted them.

Ella studied the blonde as she slurped another long sip of the mixed drink through the neon green bendy straw. The blonde looked familiar somehow, petite, heavy-rimmed black glasses, wearing a pink off-the shoulder top. Ella couldn't place where she'd seen her, but she they'd met somehow.

"Hi, what are you doing here?" Chloe asked, pleasantly surprised by the blonde's unexpected appearance.

"Maze invited me. She said it's girls' night."

"No," Chloe drawled slowly, turning toward Maze. Each word punctuated correction. "I'm working a double homicide."

Maze sighed heavily, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "C'mon, Decker, would it kill you to just relax for once? All you do is work, work, work."

Ella noticed how easily Maze took the file's contents from Chloe's hand and effortlessly reassembled them in order before closing the file. She originally surmised that Maze was too self-absorbed in herself to notice anything and Ella thought, 'First impressions are the best ones, anyway.'

"Wow, Like you're one to talk," Chloe fired back in a rare show of her inner bitch. "You're at Lucifer's beck and call 24/7. It's like you're his personal concierge.

"I'm not his personal anything, anymore," Maze denied.

"Are you sure about that?" Chloe retorted, giving her a skeptical glance as she gathered up the file. "Well, you basically still live there and it's not like he's pouring you any drinks."

"Jealous much, Decker?"

"Of what, sloppy seconds?" Blue eyes classed with onyx.

Maze rose from her bar stool, moving into Chloe's personal space. "Hey, at least, I know how to have fun. What about pleasure? Men? Women? Sex Toys? When's the last time you had sex? "

"Is that all you ever think about?" Chloe asked, not surprised that Lucifer's bartender had a mind that thought very much like his.

"Hey, it's Girls' Night. Why does everything always have to be about work or sex?" Ella interrupted quickly.

"Do you ever shut up?" Maze sneered.

"No," Ella flashed her a big grin. "It's Girls' Night Maze. No fight, just fun, okay?"

"Yeah, I agree," Linda nodded in Ella's direction, speaking in a slow, calm voice to soothe two tempers about ready to boil over. "Girls' night, done right, is about female bonding."

"Exactly," Ella agreed wholeheartedly, raising her Piña Colada in an agreeing toast.

"Girls' Night is about really getting to know each other, sharing problems, origin stories and secrets."

"Can't we just drink?" Maze conceded defeat: no fight tonight. Damn. She took another swig of her longneck.

"Fine," Linda agreed, now that tempers had been brought back to a reasonable level. "I'll start. Um," I worked my way through med school as a phone sex operator."

Chloe's eyes widened.

"No way!" Ella gasped in disbelief.

"1-800-ProfessorFeelGood," Linda's voice dropped an octave, becoming sultry and inviting.

"I would totally call that," Ella gushed.

"Nice," a slow grin crossed Maze's lips, nodding her approval. There was much more to the doctor than she'd thought. Good to know.

Ella reached past Maze again, extending her hand to the blonde. "Hi, I'm Ella, by the way. I love that we just skipped the small talk."

"Hi, I'm Linda. So, next origin story," she cast a glance in Ella's direction.

"Uh, yeah. Okay. I'll go next, I guess," Ella shrugged. "I used to steal cars."

Linda's jaw dropped, Chloe's eyes widened and Maze gave a grudging shrug. "Not bad, kid. Maybe, you're not as annoying as you sound."

Ella looked Maze directly. "Who's next?"

"I was forged in the bowels of Hell to torture the guilty for all of eternity!" Maze proudly declared.

There was a moment of awkward silence that hung between the ladies.

"Interesting share," Linda found her voice. "Okay, so Now, you go, Chloe. Female trust. Come on.  
What's on your mind?"

"What's on my mind, like, other than the case?" Chloe asked, a small break in her voice.

"Yeah," Linda encouraged.

Chloe swallowed hard, not remembering the last time someone had asked her a question about her life and her well-being. She felt a hot liquid sting her eyes and she blinked a few times to ward away the looming fears she'd held at bay for too long. She nodded slowly, inhaling deeply for courage when she felt three sets of eyes all intently staring at her. "Well, um, a little divorce, single parenthood uh, possible homelessness and most likely many, many cats in my future."

"Or things that require batteries," Maze smirked.

"Okay, you know, that's-that's that's what I'm talking about," Linda affirmed. She held her hand high and motioned for the bartender. "Bartender, tequila, stat!"

Chloe had a feeling the night was just beginning.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Notes: Just a question or two I've always wondered about:  
1) If Lucifer's wings were white, then why were Amenadiel's sooty gray?  
2) What is Amenadiel's back story?  
3) Was Chloe truly oblivious to Lucifer's nature or did she know more than she appeared?


	9. Love and Trust On Fiestaware

Notes: This tale takes places from the episode "Lady Parts' until the end of 'My Little Monkey.'

October 21, 2016

"How'd you get in here?" Chloe looked up at her paperwork, seeing Lucifer's former bartender stride into her office.

Maze plunked down into the chair on the other side of Chloe's desk, casually resting her stiletto thigh-high boots on Chloe's desk, sending organized paperwork in several directions. "Let's just say Samantha at the front desk is no longer into men."

Chloe said nothing as she started resorting the scattered paperwork, but gave Maze a heavy scowl."

"What," Maze chuckled. "you still mad?"

"Mad? No, I'm not mad," Chloe snapped as he tapped the paper back into a neat pile out of reach of Maze's stripper boots. "You only lied to me and used me for your amusement because and you and Lucifer had a bet. What was all that stuff about being my tribe?"

"What?" Maze gave her a confused look. "You had fun, didn't you?"

"You didn't go out with me because you wanted to be my friend, Maze," Chloe sighed. "You went out with me for drinks because there was something in it for you."

"Yeah, we all got something out of it, so what's the problem, Decker?"

"You lied. Look, I don't have time for this. I have work to do. You can go." Chloe nodded in the direction of the door.

"I wasn't totally faking it." Maze leaned forward like a lost child trying to get her attention. Chloe didn't bother looking up from the papers she sorted and stuck into various folders, ignoring the woman who tried to get her attention. "Like when I strangled psycho chick for the win. That was genuine."

"Gee, thanks," Chloe concentrated alphabetizing the paperwork and sorting it by date. "And that's supposed to me feel better about you fucking lying to me?"

"You know, I wouldn't just kick ass for anyone," Maze crossed her arms.

"Bullshit," Chloe looked her dead in the eye.

"Okay, fine, I would. But this time it was... sweeter."

"How can hurting another human being for fun be sweet, Maze? This is some twisted version of an apology?"

"I don't do apologies, I don't want to kill you anymore."

"You're a very, very deranged person," Chloe shook her head in disbelief.

"Thanks. So, we're still good to be roomies, right?" Maze asked.

"What are you talking about, roomies?" Chloe started putting away the reorganized paperwork in the proper folders."

"We shook on it. Post-karaoke, pre-potbelly dude."

"Since when?"

"What, you don't remember?" I told you I was in between places. You said that you were liking for someone to share expenses."

Chloe searched her memory that night. The last thing she remember was finishing karaoke and then the remembered interrogating the potbellied Brad Pitt wannabe. "The missing half hour."

"Look... I've got money. I like your kid, and you dress like crap, so I won't be stealing any of your clothes."

"There is nothing wrong with my clothes," Chloe put the first set of files away in the file cabinet. Maze snatched Chloe's doughnut.

"Yeah, with the money you'll be saving each month, maybe you can get something that doesn't look like you ripped it off from the Goodwill."

"This isn't going to work and we're too different."

"What, you got a better plan? You said you wanted fun, Decker." Maze motioned up and down her scantily-clad frame hardly covered in tight leather, her mouth sporting pink icing from the doughnut. "Fun."

Chloe shook here head in disbelief, trying to make sense of what just happened in less than a minute. The only thing that made sense prompted an ironic laugh. "Damn bitch stole my doughnut."

October 24th, 2016

Chloe felt like her world had been upside down.

With the sudden change in her mother wanting the house back for herself, the divorce recently being finalized, the strange car accident that had occurred and trying to get people together at the last moment, Chloe felt her life had careened out of control. Somehow, between his endless imbibing of bourbon and his latest bimbo of the week, Lucifer had been at Chloe's side from beginning to end. While he refused to help with what he called the "tedious monotony" of packing, Lucifer hired the best movers in L.A. to finish Chloe's packing and get everything moved to her new house within a day of the car accident.

She let her fingers travel to the gash covered by butterfly tape. By the time, she'd arrived at the hospital, it had already started healing. Rather than needing stitches as she originally thought, the doctor said she only needed tape to cover the laceration until it healed.

What she hadn't expected when she told Lucifer about it was for him to drag his knuckles, proverbially beat his chest and go all he-man protector on her. It had happened, she came out of it no worse for wear and needed some semblance of normalcy and stability in her life. Chloe found her comfort in Trixie, in her work, Lucifer's posh presence and organizing her belongings where they belong. She was especially careful with her late-grandmother's turquoise Fiestaware.

"Lucifer, relax. It's done and over with. It was a random car crash."

"Detective, are you certain?" he asked urgently.

"Yes," she assured him for the forth time.

"Did you see anything strange or out of the ordinary?" Lucifer pressed.

She sighed in exasperation as she threw away the newspaper that held a turquoise gravel bowl. "Like I told you at the hospital and several times before that, no. What's going on with you?"

He drew his breath and exhaled slowly. "Detective, I don't want to admit this to you or alarm, you, but there is, well, there's a minuscule, albeit highly unlikely, chance that your car accident was a result of my father trying to send me a message."

"God send you messages through car wrecks?" Chloe scoffed, moving on to the rectangular bakeware that she'd found packed away in her mother's attic. "Lucifer, relax. It was a one-time thing and it's over. It was a freak accident, okay? A dog ran into the middle of the road. You had nothing to do with it. End of story."

"Detective," Lucifer said with that note in his voice that always made her breath catch. Only Lucifer could make her job title sound like a term of endearment. Chloe had to admit, she found it touching.

He paced for a bit, sipping his tea as he grudgingly agreed. "Right. Okay. Well, you're about to be in another disastrous wreck that is avoidable. I want you you to give serious thought of what you're about to do."

"What?"

"Living with Maze. Potential for sexy pillow fights notwithstanding, you and Maze are like snow pants and elephants."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Chloe looked at him as though he was a babbling idiot.

"You don't mix."

"Maze and I have become friends. Sort of. And I think it's gonna be fine."

"Oh, really?" Lucifer chuckled wryly, dangling a silicone balled anal plug in his hands to emphasize his point.

"Well, like most people," Chloe began slowly. "We'll need a short adjustment period."

Then chaos broke out in the Decker household with Chloe's work beckoning, Trixie's demanding outburst about having Chloe read her a story at that moment all while Chloe continued to unpack dishes. Lucifer decided that she was the only human organized enough to run Hell as well as he had. If anyone could bring Maze to heel, it would be his Detective.

Maze had proven her friendship and both had allowed her an opportunity to seen vengeance for her father's passing. Chloe considered it. As she flipped the grilled cheese sandwich, she didn't pretend to understand the world from which Lucifer and Maze came, their nefarious activities the she was certain would put both of them behind bars for a long time if she chose to further investigate either one's questionable business activities. She had a chance to put a bullet through the brain of Deputy Warden Perry Smith, the man that murdered John Decker. Oh, she remembered every ounce of pain, seventeen years of rage and grief rushing to the conscious mind in an emotion tsunami. What was becoming of the regular, tangible sane world that she once knew?

While Chloe didn't let on that she felt all that she knew as the universe was coming unraveled one fiber at a time, she smirked at the thought the Devil was her partner and if her research regarding Hell was true, then she was roommates with Lucifer's daughter, niece, lover? She didn't even want to go there. Her life was changing. She thought how this craziness affected Trixie. However, it hadn't. Trixie idolized Lucifer and adored Maze.

After their short "adjustment period," Maze had removed the sex swing from the living room and kept her adult toys discreetly secured away from the common areas of the house. Chloe smiled when she thought how she, Ella, Linda and Maze had went back to a crazy little karaoke bar called Caritas. Chloe hadn't quite moved past the fact that most of the clientele were into to heavy cosplay as aliens, demons and vampires. Linda seemed quite fine with it and Ella was fascinated by all of the details each of the players put into their costumes.

After they'd had a round and sang, "I will survive." Maze said, "Decker, you're pathetic right now, you know that?"

"Gee, thanks, Maze," she rolled her eyes at the tribe member that she occasionally wanted to scalp. "You're just a bastion of encouragement tonight, you know that?"

"You need a pick-me-up and I know a guy."

"I don't need laid, Maze."

"He isn't into your type. Or maybe," Maze dropped off. "He loves everybody, with him you never know. He can give you maybe something to look forward to, you know?"

"Well, Trixie and I have a roof over our heads and things have calmed down," Chloe admitted slowly.

"C'mon, Decker, lighten up. Have a few. I'm driving, so you don't have to worry about driving drunk.'

Three drinks later and a loud, off-key rendition of 'You Oughta Know," the Tribe (as they came to call themselves) sat at their table, discussing their latest problems and triumph, offering encouragement and support.

"Oh, Maze, how is my Hot Chocolate tonight?" A smooth, slight nasal voice cut through the cacophony of the noise around them. Chloe turned in the direction of the voice and found that a green man...or something was the one speaking. Cop instincts went into overdrive: 6'2", 170 pounds, slight to medium build. He had black spiky hair with bleached blond ends, green skin, red eyes and horns. He sang like an angel but just seemed odd in his impeccably tailored suit with the flashy satin shirt and the match cravat.

"Hey, Lorne, do a reading from my friend here, she's too uptight," Maze pointed a thumb in Chloe's direction. "Tell her when she's going to get laid."

"Oh, who is the scrumptious cupcake here, Maze?" Lorne stared appreciatively at Chloe while hid her urge to cringe. The heavy scent of cologne and hair product was more that what Chloe was accustomed to being around Lucifer. It made her appreciate his high-end tastes and subtle class to this bar owner's more flamboyant personality.

"So, you're a. . .demon?" Linda asked.

"Right on, Dumpling, oh! You are adorable," Lorne flirted, dropping his voice half an octave. "Sing for me."

"Oh, no," Linda looked down at her drink and shoving the black rims of her glasses up her nose. "This isn't about me."

"Just sing a few bars," he coaxed.

"Okay," Linda said, color rising in her cheeks. She sang a few bars of her favorite song and Lorne's eyes went wide.

"You know more than you let on. You've seen the worst of the worst and you came back from it. You're a confident to a Big Bad who is becoming part of the Greater Good and you're a huge part of that happening. You're trying to reconcile what you know with what you've learned and you're more curious that scared. You teach killers to have heart and help teach mercy to the ruthless. Where are you been hiding your halo all this time, Sweetheart?"

"Not hiding anything," Linda returned Lorne's complements with a smile. "I just want to help others help themselves."

"Are you accepting new clients?" Lorne asked, that slight Boston accent flavored his words.

"As a matter of fact, I am," she looked around the bar. "It seems there is an entire demographic that is dealing with issues of self-worth."

"Oh, Dumpling, if you only knew," Lorne looked around the bar. "You have a very special purpose in life, Linda, and this is part of your destiny. If you embrace it, you can change the world."

"No, I just want to make it better place," she said quietly, sipping her drink.

"Dumpling, look what you've done for Maze," he whispered quietly in her ear. "And for Luci. Trust me, you've already started."

"Hey, Green Jeans," Maze loudly interrupted their conversation. "Flirt with my friend on your own time. Read Decker."

"Damn, girl!" Lorne held up both green hands in surrender. "Give this demon a chance to catch his breath."

"Wow," Ella gushed looking around the bar decorated with marble pillars, cherubs, mirrored ceilings and red velvet. "These people never get out of character for a second. Is this where Lucifer got started?"

"He used to do open mike night here on Tuesdays before he bought Lux," Lorne beamed, then turned his attention to Chloe. He stared into those blue-green eyes, saw her stoic skepticism. "Oh, I see we have a disbeliever in the crowd."

"Hmm," Chloe gave one nod.

"Lorne," he offered his hand and she gave it a firm shake, never breaking contact with those gleaming red eyes. She wondered how he managed to make the prosthetic horns and the green mottling on his skin look so realistic. "Maze has said a lot about you."

"I'm Chloe,"

"No, your Angelfood, you definitely need to relax," he said, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

"So, what's his deal, Maze?" Ella whispered between loud sips of her Pina Colada.

"He's anagogic," she explained.

"So, he's like the Oracle of Delphi or Nostradamus: plugged into the psychic vibe."

"Yeah, something like that," Maze shrugged, removing the lid from her long neck with one bite and spitting it off to the side.

"Really, this is where Lucifer got his start?" Ella asked, fascinated by the baroque décor and the diversity "This is better than Carnival!"

"Yeah, for about a month. I tended bar."

"Now, I see why Lucifer never breaks character, I thought he was just another method actor, but these guys live it 24/7."

"Don't worry, Dumpling, you'll get your turn." Lorne promised Ella.

"I can't wait!" Sipping her drink, her face contorted into a painful expression. "Brain freeze!"

" So, Chloe, sing a few bars for me."

"I don't sing by myself in public," she shook her head. "Thanks, but no. I'm good."

"I can see you're truly humble, Angelfood, but Maze is right," Lorne signed, "You've got to let go a little. You're shields are so high right now that I can't see past them. You have show me a little soul so I can look at your spirit and read your aura.

"Singing, not really my area."

"Maze usually doesn't gave a damn about anyone. If she's brought you here and she has friends, that says something about you," Lorne patted Chloe's hand. "You don't like to be the center of attention, Angelfood, but I can't read you if you don't sing. I don't need an opera, just a few words of your favorite song."

"And you're going to tell me my fortune just from whatever I sing?"

"I'm going to tell you what is coming your way, Chloe," Lorne gently amended. "What you decide to do with what I tell you is up to you."

"C'mon, Chloe," Ella bubbled. "It'll be fun."

"Okay," Chloe nodded once, downed her shot of Tequila, coughed a bit as the drink burned her vocal chords and coughed a few times. Quietly the words flowed from her. "Why do birds suddenly appear Every time you are near? Just like me, they long to be close to you."

As Chloe sang slightly off-key, she wanted his crimson eyes grow wide; with amazement or alarm she wasn't sure. When she finished she watched him whisper something to Maze and she motioned Ella and Linda join her. "Come on, I'll beat your asses at pool."

"I've seen you beat someone's ass with a pool que," Ella held up her hands. "Not sure I'm up for that."

"Oh, you'll like it the way I do it, Honey, promise." Maze cooed. "Decker, you're on your own."

"Angelfood," Lorne said in a low, hushed voice and a grave expression on his face. "We've got to talk."

"What?" Chloe laughed. "Am I going to win the lottery or meet a tall, dark handsome stranger?"

"You already have, Sweetheart, and that is exactly what you have, a sweet heart," Lorne sipped on his Sea Breeze. Chloe wondered how he could stand the bitter taste of cranberry juice, tart grapefruit and vodka.

"Thanks, Lorne."

"You're a hot item in the Cosmos right now and you're in the center of it all."

"What does that mean?" she asked, wondering if all of this insanity might have some truth mixed in with it.

"Somebody isn't wanting to let me see everything, but I can tell you're by-the-book, follow-the-rules kind of cop."

"Okay..." Chloe replied slowly, not understanding where Lorne planned to go with this private fortune-telling session.

"Luci and you are connected and you're scared to death about that. You want to run and don't want to believe."

"What is going on with me?"

"You're the golden child of not just the Powers-that-be, but the Power-That-Is," Lorne took another sip of the ruby red drink. "You've been given gifts that weren't meant to be yours, but you have gifts that you were made to give, Chloe. You have to move beyond the logic and have faith. Lucifer needs your faith in the Powers and in him. That's what will save him. Be careful, though. There are those out there that will use you for their own ends."

"That's vague and doesn't make any sense," Chloe gave a shrug, feeling helpless. "I don't understanding what your telling me."

"It will in time, Angelfood," he raised his glass in toast to her. "Have faith in the Power-That-Is and believe the love your heart is feeling. It'll all come out in the wash."

"Hmm," she nodded once, taking a slow sip of her Pina Colada.

"I have to know, Chloe, and answer truthfully because I'll know if you're fibbing. Why 'Close To You?'""It was one of my grandmother's favorite songs," Chloe admitted, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"You sang it for the same reason as you love your Fiestaware," Lorne surmised. "You and your grandmother were very close."

Chloe nodded.

"Earth to Detective Decker," An English lilt broke into Chloe's momentary contemplation of the past several days, snapping her back to the present. She looked at the man who had just stolen Trixie's grilled cheese sandwich right off Trixie's plate. What was it with him and Maze always stealing everyone's food? Didn't these people know how to feed themselves Chloe considered slapping his hand with the back of her spatula, but didn't want to her Lucifer lament about the stains on his designer suit or the exorbitant cost of the cleaning bill that she'd end up paying just to shut him up.

Lucifer Morningstar was many things: rich, suave, charming, sexy, promiscuous and vain. He was also honest, compassionate, intuitive, smart and loyal. He made her a better detective, made her push harder and move faster, laugh, relax and look at life from another perspective. Both he and Maze had opened her eyes to things she hadn't seen before. They'd also made her realize that doing the right thing was important especially when no one was watching.

Just a few nights prior in her new residence, Chloe had a golden opportunity to put Deputy Warden Perry Smith, her father's killer, six feet underground with a bullet in his brain at point-blank range and Maze would be the one to gleefully bury the body.

Mouth duct taped shut and tied to a chair, Chloe remembered the muffled screams she'd heard just outside her front door. With a silent nod to Lucifer, he'd nodded in in understanding while she pointed her firearm in the dark. There, with those stiletto heels digging painfully into his crotch sat Deputy Warden Perry Smith, tied helplessly to a kitchen chair.

A large grin crossed Lucifer's features, " Well... Bravo, Maze. How did you get-?"

"I was bored. Had nothing to do. So, I tracked down the scumbag myself. It just... felt right" Mazikeen flashed him a perfect white smile.

Chloe reached for her cell. "It's gonna feel good to call this in."

Lucifer laid a stopping hand on her shoulder. "What? No, hold on, Detective. You have a choice to make here."

"Yes," Maze purred in agreement. "So much punishment. Yum!"

"Detective, Order off-menu for once. Maze and I certainly won't judge." Lucifer urged her. "You know you want to."

"Damn right I do," Chloe drew her 380, pointing it at Smith's head. "You son-of-a-bitch, you took my father away."

Deputy Warden Smith's wide eyes stared blankly at the gun.

Tears flowed from Chloe. "You tore apart my family."

Chloe ripped off the duct tape over his mouth in one swift motion. Smith groaned in pain and then gave a dark chuckle. "I tried to get him to drop it, but Decker couldn't leave it alone."

"That's it? After the pain and hell you've caused to innocent people?" Chloe teeth clenched and she carefully put the gun's muzzle right between his eyes. "That's all you've got to say?"

"No, no, no. No, no, no. I-I'm sorry. I'll give you all the players in my operation. I'll give you money."

Chloe knew how good it would feel to make him suffer, make him pay and make him burn for what he'd done to her father and to their family. Death was too good for the scumbag tied to her kitchen chair. Slowly, she lowered her firearm, replacing it in it's holster. "I'm gonna take a page from Lucifer's page book."

Lucifer looked at Maze, giving a confused shrug while she gave an approving nod and a grin. "

Here's Hell for you, asshole. We'll see how you do in the prison that you ran. I'll bet your inmates will treat you real nice."

"No. No, please, please, they'll kill me." Smith begged. "Whatever you want, I'll give it to you!"

"You can rot in your own personal Hell knowing it was John Decker's kid who got you. Go to Hell."

November 11, 2016

"Earth to Detective Decker," Lucifer ended her inner contemplation of the last several days. The emotional roller coaster ride left her drained and spent. She had no energy left to fight whatever came next. Trixie was going to Dan's for the weekend and she Chloe didn't want to spend the evening alone. She came up with the energy to invite Lucifer to dinner and he offered to order expensive sushi from a place he knew. She'd said, "Stay for dinner."

His dark brows rose on his face, a silent 'oh' formed on his lips which melted into a genuine, tender smile. How Chloe cherished those rare moment when smarmy, snarky, posh Lucifer failed to make an appearance and her dearest friend showed the man that she'd grown to lo- admire, she amended.

"Here you go, Monkey," Chloe slid the golden toasted gooey sandwich from the spatula to Trixie's plate, but Lucifer swept in and swiped it from the plate. Chloe snapped back to reality when she saw Lucifer lift the grilled cheese sandwich.

"What do you think your doing?" Chloe decided to slap his hand with the spatula and he drew it back in painful surprise.

Why should the child go first? I'm far larger. And hungrier." Lucifer said, his mouth full with a large bite of grilled cheese and toasted bread.

"It's okay, Mommy. He must've really wanted it," Trixie cheerfully smiled when Chloe slid a second sandwich onto her plate.

They ate in relative silence with Chloe trying to make sense of what she'd seen and learned over the past several months: the NDE, the bizarre theories of Dr. Leanne McCoy regarding her and Lucifer's blood, the crazy dreams about God, the strange experience of visiting Caritas with Maze and the tests results of her self-experimentation. What did it all mean? How did it all make sense in the larger scheme of things?

"Baby, it's time to get dressed."

"Love you, Mommy!" Trixie scampered off the stool and ran upstairs to get ready to go to Dan's for the weekend.

Lucifer stared at his Detective, a bastion of goodness and strength in a world where such things rarely existed. Yet, she looked so vulnerable and fragile as he'd watched various thoughts play across her face. He almost tangibly touched the pain and heartbreak she'd felt these past few weeks. He knew it was more than the divorce or the sudden changes in her life. If anyone knew about pain, it was him. She didn't deserve to be in that kind of pain. She was good.

"Er, Detective," Lucifer awkwardly cleared his throat and something painfully clenched his heart when Chloe looked at him with wide, vulnerable eyes. "Yes. I don't think much for my father, but, clearly… you do love yours which is why you followed in his footsteps, I suppose."

"Hmm," Chloe felt hot liquid sting her eyes.

"So, w-what I'm trying to say is... I think he would be proud of you."

A quite sob escaped Chloe and the tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Oh. My apologies, Detective. I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"No, Lucifer!" Chloe shook her head quickly. "It's not like that at all."

"I don't understand," he started, clearly baffled by her reaction. "Then, why are you... crying?"

Chloe felt her walls crumble as onyx eyes stared at her, confused and concerned, his kindness touching her soul in a way that went beyond words. Her partner, friend and confidante was the only one who understood, had her back and helped her heal. There were no words for what Lucifer meant to her and how his words affected her heart at that moment. She only knew that she needed his world with all of its craziness in her life because he was the one who brought her joy and love when there seemed none. Those were the things she loved about her partner and best friend. He was an ass one second and an angel the next, albeit a fallen one. Chloe didn't care.

"Just... Oh, just shut up!" She rushed into his arms, hugging him tightly and weeping into his Armani jacket. "Please, don't let me go, Lucifer."

"Never, Chloe, never," he whispered into her hair, gently stroking it, thinking how she smelled of daisies and sunshine. Her pain became his and Lucifer felt overwhelmed by her trust and her need...for him. No one had ever turned to him for strength before then.

It befuddled him, humbling him to a point of having no words. He felt hot pain behind his eyelids; not the rage of hellfire, but the anguish of tears knowing someone he adored hurt badly and she turned to him for solace. He tucked her in beneath his chin, wrapping his arms tightly around his Detective and held her close to him. Her tears wet his shirt, but he didn't give a bloody damn. He was the closest to heaven he'd been in eons when he felt her warmth and trust permeate her being, seeping into him.

"Please stay," she mumbled into his lapel.

"I couldn't leave you if I tried, Detective."

TO BE CONTINUED…..


	10. Figs, Faucets and Food Poisoning

This chapter takes place during the episode, "A Trip To Stabby Town" Disclaimer: All of the characters appearing in Lucifer are copyrighted by Fox Television, Neil Gaiman and Vertigo Comics. No infringement of these copyrights intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. I write this fanfiction only for fun and not for profit. Chapter Text

November 15, 2016

"You were forged in the bowels of Hell, fought an archangel, at least, according to you, fight like a bad-ass with knives made in hell, but you can't fix a leaky faucet?"

"No," Maze growled, her eyes shifting to the side in silent embarrassment. She blinked twice, cocking her head curiosity. "And how'd you know about me fighting Uriel?"

"It's amazing what I've learned these past few months," Chloe gave her best cryptic smile. She remembered how Linda had told all on one of their girls' nights when Maze was in the bathroom. One thing about Dr. Martin for which Chloe was thankful: she couldn't hold her liquor to save her life. Chloe looked at the faucet spouting off water like Old Faithful. She doubt if Maze had a resource for this sort of thing. This required human intervention. "I'll turn the water off downstairs and you go online to find a good plumber."

"All right," Maze grumbled, grabbing an apple from Chloe's hand that she was about to eat. Chloe moved quickly, removing the hellblade from Maze and stabbing it into the apple halfway to Maze's mouth, securely pinning it to the butcher block kitchen counter.

"And, damn it, Maze," Chloe stared her roommate in the eye. "Stop stealing my food."

"It's not like you were going eat it right now," Maze retorted, never taking her eyes from Chloe who still held the hit of the curved blade in her hand. "Get your hand off my knife, Decker."

"Give me back my apple," Blue eyes sparked for a second, never leaving Maze's gaze.

"Okay, Eve, eat your damn apple," Maze grumbled, slowly removing her hand from the red delicious fruit still pinned to the butcher block. "I didn't want it that much anyway."

"What are you, twelve?" Chloe scoffed, pulling the dark bronze blade from the apple and handing it back to Maze hilt first. "Grow the fuck up, Maze."

She took a bit of the red delicious apple. Nothing compared to the crispy, sweet juiciness of this apple except for those delicious figs Josh Johnson had once given her. She remembered how she'd first met him; in her dreams. She'd brushed it away as a trick of the mind until she had met him in person in the park not so long ago. Chloe reached for her wallet. Digging through her business cards, she found what she had kept shortly before he'd left the park that day: His business card.

It was plain and white with a small slogan at the top, "For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." -Hebrews 3:4, It read Covenant Home Improvement and Handiwork. Josh Johnson, General Contractor. 323-776-2323. "Never mind, Maze, I've got this.'

"Yeah, whatever, Decker," Maze pouted, wiping off the blade on the side of her leather pants. She slid it back in her side holster. "You know, that was a pretty good move you just did."

"I had a good teacher," Chloe smiled, dialing the number as she walked downstairs to turn off the water and to get away from her overbearing roommate.

'What am I thinking?' Chloe looked skyward, mentally wondering if her sanity had left the building. 'It's not like I'm actually calling God to fix my faucet. I'm just caught up in this mass delusion that Lucifer is-"

"Johnson," came that gruff baritone on the other end of the line.

"Hi, Josh," Chloe started slowly, not quite sure what to say. "You may not remember me, but you gave me your business card,"

"Chloe Decker," came the reply from the other end of the line. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, you said you were a general contractor when we last talked and you said no job was to small," she began.

"No, Ma'am, it isn't," he said kindly. "What's going on?"

"My faucet exploded," came her sheepish reply. "It needs fixed or replaced. Are you free sometime today to come give an estimate?"

"Ma'am, I'm actually just right around the corner from you," Josh answered. "I'm almost on your front porch right now."

"Josh, I recently moved," Chloe started. "I don't live where I did-"

"I know," he replied. "But unless you want your roommate screaming in terror, you may want to be the one to answer the door."

"Why?"

"She won't like me too much when she sees me," he said quietly. There was a knock at the door.

"Hey, Decker, there's a cowboy on the front porch!" Maze yelled downstairs. "Smokin' hot, too. Looks like Sam Elliott."

"Don't answer the door!" Chloe yelled, turning off the water valve. She rushed upstairs and through the kitchen to reach the front door. "Don't worry, Maze, I got this."

"Whatever," Maze plopped on the overstuffed soda with a bag of popcorn in hand, channel surfing and completely ignoring Chloe.

Chloe threw open the door and the light blinded her when opened it. Tall and lean, almost lanky, stood a silhouette in her doorway. A brilliant aura of gold and white surrounded him until he stepped inside. At that moment, Chloe almost felt her heart break because he'd just been standing in the early morning sunlight. Wearing a black tee-shirt, wranglers and cowboy boots, Chloe recognized that ruggedly handsome face in a heartbeat. She remembered the warmth in His eyes and the comfort of hearing His voice. Pushing back the brim of his black Stetson, he held up his toolbox. "All right, Darlin', where's your broken faucet?"

"Are You real?" Chloe finally remembered to ask, not remembering Him affecting her this way the last time they met. "Are You really here?"

"Chloe," He greeted her gently. "Before you called I answered. While you were still talking, I heard you. Don't be afraid, I'm here. I'll help you."

"What do I do?" she gave him a blank look.

"Why don't you show me your broken faucet?" He asked. "Just lead the way."

"Sure," she saw him take off his Stetson and set it on a stool by the kitchen counter.

"Would you like something to drink?" Chloe asked, wondering what Lucifer's Dad liked to drink. Wine? Holy Water?

"Do you have some ice tea?" He asked, opening his tool box.

"Yeah, actually, I do." Chloe had made it earlier that morning. Since it was her day off, she decided to let Trixie sleep in, while she caught up on a few household chores and made herself a pitcher of something she rarely had a chance to enjoy.

"I'd sure appreciate a glass if it isn't any trouble," Josh said, getting underneath the sink to check the plumbing.

"Not a problem," Chloe reached into the cupboard, pulled out a glass and filled it with ice. She filled it to the brim. "How do you like yours?"

"Straight. No sugar," He answered. Chloe handed him the glass and he took a sip of it it. "Thank you, kindly."

"You're welcome."

Since Chloe felt stupefied by having a deity in her kitchen, she decided to let Him fix her faucet while she tried to understand a few things. Why was it so easy to accept a random stranger as God, but impossible to believe that her partner and best friend was the Devil? Chloe knew who Josh was the moment He walked into the house, but she didn't get any kind of feeling like that from Lucifer. Wait, did annoyance count? With what she and Dr. McCoy had discovered recently, Chloe wasn't sure what to believe.

She sat on the other side of the counter. "Why are You here?"

"You needed a handyman to fix your sink," he answered from beneath the kitchen cabinet.

"No, why are you here on Earth, now? Are You supposed to only be here during the Second Coming, the Rapture or something?"

"No, that's my son," He corrected her. "You've already met Josh, Jr."

"Isn't Lucifer your son?"

"Yup."

"What about Amenadiel?" Chloe asked.

"He's my oldest son, I have thousands of sons and daughters, Chloe. You're a daughter of mine, too, you know. Hey, do me a favor and me that wrench with the handle, would ya?" Josh asked.

Chloe nodded, reached for the red wrench and gave it to him handle first. "So, why are you being so hard on Lucifer?"

Josh scooted from beneath the sink. "He led two million of my children in the ultimate temper tantrum because he thought he was my equal. You don't disrespect your Dad in His own house. He decided to fight a war in my house as part of that temper tantrum and I threw him out."

"You banished him to Hell," Chloe pressed. "Why?"

"Not quite," Josh said. He nodded toward the sink. "Pipes are in good shape, but the faucet's shot. I'd recommend a Kohler, a Delta or a Moen. Do you want me to pick up one for you or do you want to do it?"

"I'm kinda on a budget right now," Chloe poured herself a glass of ice tea, putting in several spoons of sugar. "Those brands are expensive."

"I know you're good for it, Detective." He grinned. She looked up, noticing while the accents were different, both Father and son shared the same deep, baritone voice. Josh stood up and put the wrench back in the tool box. "You ask a lot of questions and since I'm going to be around for a while, I might as well answer them. I'm going to Home Depot, they have stuff with an 11% rebate right now and that'll save you some cash if you mail in the bottom of your receipt."

"Trixie's asleep," Chloe said, nodding in the direction of Trixie's bedroom. "I can't sleep."

"No harm is going to come to Trixie, I promise," He put on His Stetson and walked over to the sofa. The television suddenly turned off by itself. "Mazikeen."

Chloe stopped mid-step when she saw Maze turn around, look up and her jaw fell slack. Shrinking into the sofa, her lips trembled and she terror marred her features.

"You, watch Trixie and don't let anything bad happen to her."

"Why are you here?" Maze stammered. "It's not time yet."

"Nope, not today," He agreed. "I command you to keep an eye on the girl. Don't let anything happen to her. Understand?"

"Y-yes."

"Smart demon," he gave one nod. "Come on, Chloe. Let's find you a faucet."

"I'll be back later," Chloe said carefully, eyeing Maze whose eyes were downcast and didn't look directly at Josh. It didn't take cop instincts to realize her roommate was truly terrified of the general contractor. "Do you need anything while I'm out?"

"No. Just. Go."

"Okay," Chloe said, her voice quiet and soft. She went over to Maze and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Maze, it's okay. It's just the General Contractor."

"He's going to destroy us all," she whimpered, cowering further back into the sofa.

"Stop it, Josh!" Chloe looked at Him. "You're scaring her."

"Maze," he said in a low, soothing voice. "Look at me."

"I can't."

"LOOK AT ME." Josh's voice was quiet, but carried an inhuman quality that compelled both to look at Him. "Peace."

Chloe watched Maze quit quivering and relaxed. Her near-hysterical words stopped and she remained still.

"Not today, I promise." Josh assured her. "I always keep My word. Watch the girl."

"Yes."

"Point of pride for you, Josh?" Chloe asked as she followed him out the front door, locking it behind her.

"Not pride, Ma'am," He corrected. "Truth. I can't not keep My word. Point of truth for Me."

She looked up on down the street as she followed him, wondering if he was going to strike someone down with a lightning bolt. He took her to a blue pick-up, about ten years old and smirked when she saw the model. "God drives a Ford F-150?"

"Yup and pretty tough, too?"

"No chariot of fire?" Chloe gave peace even to the damned.

"Nope, not the greatest on gas mileage," Josh shrugged, coming around and opening her door for her. He lent her His hand as he helped her into the pick-up cab.

He navigated L.A.'s streets with ease and turned on the radio to KLOS 95.5 FM, where Chloe instantly recognized Fog Hat's "Slow Ride." Chloe chuckled, "Classic Rock?"

"Yup," He grinned.

"Beer?"

"Wine, actually," He gave her a grin. "So, you've got questions and I've got answers."  
"Lucifer. Hell. Why?" Chloe asked as she remember to fasten her seat belt.

"You don't raise Hell in my House," Josh's voice was harsh and gruff to her ears. "I kicked him out and sent him to Hell to cool off and think things through. I gave him the toughest job that needed done and he was the only one strong enough to handle it."

"You made him a torturer and a the scapegoat for all of humanity's weaknesses," she began.

"Let me tell you something, Chloe, he's done a lot of things to put himself there by his own choices," Josh's low growl let her know she'd struck a nerve. "He's the one that decided he wanted Humanity to have free will, but he didn't want them to grow into it. He gave it too soon and while he didn't lie, he didn't give Eve a fair chance. She couldn't have resisted him anymore than a child can resist a puppy or a piece of candy. He did it to get back at Me because I loved them."

"So, he's Satan for all eternity?"

"No, he's Sam, my Sam, my son and my Samael," His voice became hoarse and she thought she saw a drop of moisture fall down his craggy cheek. "Lord of Hell, that's what he did, not who he was, not to me and I never wanted him to stay there. He thought he was meant to be there for eternity and that wasn't it. He can't here Me because he doesn't want to listen to me, so our father/ son talks are limited."

"Selective hearing," Chloe nodded in understanding. "Hmm."

"You know what I mean," He gave her a wink. "Sam, you call him Lucifer, is really good at that."

"True," she smiled at that truth. "Can he. . go home. . . or is he doomed to the Lake of Fire?"

"Satan is doomed to the Lake of Fire. Remember, Darlin', Lord of Hell was what he did, not who he is."

"A job title?" Chloe asked, not quite understanding. "So, in theory, anyone can be Lord of Hell?"

"Exactly," Josh nodded. "The position is vacant right now."

"Charlotte's a good job candidate for that position," Chloe huffed.

"Charlotte's off limits," Josh's stern reply made Chloe take attention.

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," His gruff reply echoed with hurt….maybe regret, Chloe thought.

"Okay, but I love the irony."

"What."

"God drives a Ford F-150, loves Iced Tea without Sugar and shops at the Home Depot," Chloe motioned around here. "If it isn't the Apocalypse, then why are You here?"

"What? Sam's the only one who gets to take a vacation?" Josh chuckled, making a right hand turn onto West Slauson Avenue. "Yeah, I love all my kids, whether it' Amenadiel, Sam, Josh Jr., or Adam, Eve, or Abraham. I love you and I missed you. So, I came down here to spend time with my kids."

"With Humanity?" Chloe's eyes widened.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Well, yeah. I mean Silver City is Paradise and yet you choose to come to Earth of all places -"

"I made Earth, remember?" He asked. "You've seen Heaven, and Earth may be a shadow of it, but most of my kids are here. I love you and I missed you, so I came to visit, to learn how my kids were getting along. I did things before through prophets and Josh, Jr. Now, I'm here to get to know you now that Josh made things right and possible."

"Did He have to die?"

"Yeah, the chasm was too wide and I can't abide evil, Chloe. I loved my earthly children so much that it broke my heart. I love Him beyond words because he laid down his own life of His own initiative. He wanted to make things right between us all and He did it. Because of that, I can come down here, live here, and get to know my kids in a new way I couldn't and didn't before."

"Why do bad things happen to good people, Josh?"

"I'm not going to tell you everything today, except part of it is free will. Part of it is Humanity is still separated from Me for awhile longer and each person has to choose for his or herself if they want to come Home. Enough revelation for today, right now, I'm just wanting to get you a faucet and I want a Ham sandwich from Mike's Deli."

"You eat pork?"

"If I say it's clean, it's clean," He turned the Ford into Home's Depot parking lot. "Come on, Chloe, let's go get you a faucet."

Josh had treated her to lunch and they rode back in relative silence with a Delta faucet sitting between them in the front seat. Her stomach had started feeling queasy shortly after lunch and the nausea followed soon after. Josh cast her a sideways look, "Darlin', you don't look so good."

"Something's wrong," Chloe exhaled heavily as a cramp twisted her stomach into a sailor's knot. "Maybe it was the pastrami with extra pickle."

"No, Mike's meat is good," Josh assured her. He parked in her driveway, came around and opened the cab door for her, helping her from the pickup to the house. When he walked in, he put a callused, tanned hand on her brow. "Girl, you got a fever."

"I feel like sh-"

"Language, Chloe." He admonished her gently. "Mazikeen, come here."

Maze came in with eyes lowered, but not cowering as she had before. "Yes, LORD."

"She's sick."

"I didn't do it, LORD."

"I know you didn't, Maze," He said gently. "Mercy."

"Thank you, LORD."

"What'd she eat this morning?" He asked.

"LORD, you should know," she kept her head bowed.

"Mazikeen, look at Me," Josh's rough, deep voice compelled her to look at Him. "I'm on vacation. Help me out here."

"She ate an apple."

He rolled his eyes skyward. "Figures. What kind?"

"A red one," Maze shrugged.

"Give me more info to work with," He urged. "Anything else?"

"She made some Iced Tea?"

Chloe laid back on the sofa, her skin was soft gray and her eyes were coated with a layer akin to cataracts. Maze gasped, her hand covering her mouth. "Holy Fuck."

"Language, Mazikeen," He warned, pointing a thumb at Chloe. "That only happens when someone eats from the Tree of Hell. There's nothing like it on Earth. What'd you do to her?"

"I swear, LORD, I didn't do anything!" Shrugging helplessly. "All she had was an apple from the supermarket. I wanted it, she wasn't going it eat it anyway, so I took it. She grabbed one of my blades, stabbed it and took it back."

"One of your hellblades?" Maze dared look up and saw Josh's hair whiter than wool, so white it appeared silver and his eyes weren't the soft hazel, but fiery red. "Forged in Hell and you brought them to Earth?"

"Yeah, I gotta protect myself!"

"I'm slow to anger, but don't take that tone with me, Mazikeen." Josh bellowed, his voice sounding like a rushing waterfall to her ears. "You know eating from the Tree Of Hell is the one thing that made your mother lose her Humanity and become a Demon. Do you want that to happen to Chloe?"

"No, LORD."

"Go out to my truck. In the glove compartment is my lunch. Grab the plastic containers with the green and red lids and bring them here."

"Yes, LORD." Maze scampered out the door and returned with a small plastic container. Josh said nothing as he opened it, throwing the lid onto the coffee table. He dug in and brought out a small dried fruit. Quickly, he tore it in two, placing a small piece in her mouth.

"Come on, Darlin', swallow."

"I don't want to."

"Do it." His voice carried that quite note of a flowing river rather than a roaring waterfall.

Chloe's throat ached, but she swallowed.

"That's a good girl," He brushed away the sweat on her brow. "You just got a hellish case of food poisoning. Now, have a fig cookie."

"You're giving her sweets at a time like this?" Maze asked, astonished. "Why don't You, like, work a miracle or something?"

"I am. Watch." Josh took a square cookie in His hands and broke it in two.

"How is that going to help her?" Maze's asked, leaning over his shoulder to watch.

"These aren't regular fig cookies," He explained, smiling when Chloe swallowed. "These cookies are made from the figs that grow in the middle of Silver City's Main Street. There's a new crop each month and I miss home cooking. The leaves are for healing and will cancel out the Fruit of Hell that she ate by accident."

"Weird."

"Those blades contaminate any human you cut them with," He gave her a stern look. "Put them away."

"Yes, LORD." Maze immediately put the blades back inside their holsters on the other side of the room.

Several hours and several trips later to the bathroom toilet, Chloe felt like she had suffered the world's worst hangover. The past several hours were a blurry or altogether blank except for the fact that she'd made Iced Tea for Josh, they bought a faucet and then everything became a mangled mystery.

"How're you feeling?" Josh asked, sitting at Chloe's beside.

"What time is it?"

"Almost 5," he answered.

"Trixie! Did she get lunch?" Chloe attempted to sit upright. Josh laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Trixie had lunch and she thinks you're taking a nap. She doesn't know you were sick."

"What happened?"

"Just a light case of food poisoning. Nothing to worry about, Chloe. It's out of your system, now." Josh assured her. "You're going to be a little different from now on."

What do you mean?

He straddled the chair so the back of it faced Chloe. "Well, you got a bite of some bad fruit and I gave you a home remedy. You're not going to have your supernatural abilities anymore, you're just going to be good ol' Chloe like you're supposed to be. Yeah, you're still immune to Sam's charms and his other bull, but no more superhuman perks for you. You weren't meant for that."

"Damn, it came in handy," Chloe gave a weak laugh. "No more type AB negative blood either?"

"Nope," he nodded. "Earth isn't ready for the Divine and you're not quite ready for everything, not yet. You need a little time to recover from your Wonder Woman phase and just be human again."

"What about Lucifer?"

"That's between you and him. You're good to him and for him and that's all I ever wanted for him was that he'd know that he has a home to come to and he finds that in you. Yeah, he can be an ass, Chloe, but he cares for you more than you know and you for him. Roll with it."

"Okay..." Chloe answered slowly, partially due to the mind-numbing headache, but not quite understanding where Josh was going in the conversation. "What about Maze?"

"What about her?"

"Can you...forgive her or something? She isn't the evil you think she is."

"Oh, yeah, she's evil, but Earth has an effect on any infernal or Celestial being," Josh said, pushing back the brim of his Stetson. "It makes us all a little more human, a little more humble and that's why I created it. It brings out the best and the worst in all and those not from here have to learn to chose what they want to be."

"So, Maze is . . .less evil?"

"Let's say Maze isn't the demon she once was," Josh winked. "That's all you need to know for now."

"Can she have a soul and go to heaven?" Chloe asked.

"Girl, you don't ask for much at all, do you?"

"Well, You're God after all,"

"And I'm on vacation. No miracles or judgments today." He answered, bending forward to place a kiss on her brow. "Now, Maze has made you some chicken broth. Stay in bed and call in sick. You'll be find in a day or two. And here is my commandment for you, "Thou shalt not handle Maze's Blades. Comprende?"

"What?" Chloe asked not understanding

"Just say yes."

"Yes."

"Good," Josh rose up from the chair and returned it to the desk across the room. "By the way, your dryer broke. I'll be by later in the week to fix it."

"How much do I owe you for fixing the faucet?"

"Don't worry about it, just get well now." Josh tipped his Stetson. "We'll talk later."

November 18, 2006

Within a few days, Chloe resumed her normal routine and was thankful for it. She didn't want to deal with God, Fords, faucets and Figs. She didn't want to worry about hellblades that stabbed her food giving her food poisoning or what to do with her changed and forever-altered worldview. She just wanted to be a great mom to Trixie and a good cop.

She shared her new status with Dr. McCoy who tested her blood and confirmed she was no longer AB negative, but it still possessed some of the markers that were unusual. When Chloe accidentally broke a glass while washing dishes, she required stitches. It was refreshing and bittersweet to be again, 'only human.' She decided to follow Josh's advice and "roll with it."

Feeling the best she had in several days, Chloe decided to review some cold case evidence and decided she needed Lucifer's consultation regarding a current case. He jaunted into the station, clearly his cheery, charming self and all eyes drew to him. "Ah! Good morning, Detective."

He saw her furrowed brow and he knew that meant something was amiss. "Everything all right?"

"No," she huffed. "I just got the bill for having my faucet replaced and it's almost $300.00 not to mention heads are gonna roll."

"Bloody hell," Lucifer straightened his blazer. "You'll have to steal from Peter to pay Paul at that price."

"No, I think God would know."

"Yes," Lucifer chuckled. "But, tell me, Detective, why are heads 'going to roll?'"

"First, some tech pulled the murder weapon without documentation, and now it's just gone."

"Right. Well, it's probably for the best," Lucifer looked away at her words. "Nasty bit of steel, anyway."

"What is it with you and Maze regarding knives, lately?" Chloe asked. "So, one second you're obsessed with the knife, and now it's just no big deal?"

"Well, we got the murderer, didn't we? Job done." Lucifer flashed her a charming grin.

"You know, Lucifer I thought you and I had a real moment the other day, talking about my dad, I I thought we were partners, but more importantly, friends."

He awkwardly cleared his throat. "Right."

"I've had a lot of personal epiphanies lately, about my Dad and maybe you're not giving your Dad a fair shake. Have you talked to Him lately?"

"Why are you so suddenly concerned about my Dad, Detective? You know He and I don't talk."

"Maybe you should," she suggested quietly. "I think He wouldn't mind hearing from you."

"You're my friend and my partner," Chloe started, not knowing what words were best. "If he's like any other Dad, he'd like to make things right with you. I'd say give Him a fair shake and get in touch with him."

"Begging your pardon, but I find it ironic that you, now, take an interest in my personal life," he gave her a slightly offended look.

"I really don't give a damn about your -" she began, but abruptly grew quiet when Ella walked past on her way to lab with evidence in hand.

Lucifer glanced once at Ella then back to Chloe. He nodded once in understanding. "Is this about me and Ella in the penthouse?"

"Look, your family matters and who you sleep with is none of my business, but believe it or not, Lucifer. I care about you."

"Really?" Lucifer's eyes brightened and his smile flashed.

"Yeah," Chloe nodded grudgingly. "I do. Come on, Lucifer, sleeping with the Lab Tech? Really? It's more than a little inappropriate."

"Well, much as I love to cross professional boundaries, Detective, I can assure you, everything you saw was entirely work-related."

"Mm-hmm? Is that is that the truth?" Chloe asked, uncertainty made her heart shiver when she thought of his possible answer. Life with Lucifer was complicated as it was, but his stealing her heart when she wasn't looking wasn't something she'd have though possible a year earlier.

"Always the truth," Lucifer reminded her gently, his heart touched by her vulnerability. "Point of pride for me, Detective. I have never lied to you nor will I ever lie to you."

"Gotcha," Chloe replied. "Anyhow, moving forward-"

"But, you know, if you ever did want to cross boundaries into "partnered friends who hang out naked-" Lucifer flashed her one of his wickedly charming grins.

"Okay, stop talking," Chloe walked away, secretly glad to have normality back in her life for the moment. Lucifer being annoying was refreshingly normal and that she could live with.

Lucifer shoved his hands in his trouser pockets as he watched the Detective leave him where he stood, her ponytail bouncing with the rhythm of her walk. He exhaled when revelation came to him, 'Chloe is jealous? Of who I sleep with? Really? I'll really have to discuss this Dr. Martin and see what she thinks."

TO BE CONTINUED….


	11. A Case Of You

I came across Prince's cover of Joni' Mitchell's song, "A Case Of You." That song seemed so fitting of Lucifer's mindset during the episode, "Homewrecker." Enjoy. Disclaimer: All of the characters appearing in Lucifer are copyrighted by Fox Television, Neil Gaiman and Vertigo Comics. No infringement of these copyrights intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. I write this fanfiction only for fun and not for profit. What had started as a mere kitchen faucet replacement had mutated into needing a shrine built to all of Chloe's indoor plumbing. While Yahweh the Cowboy was moseying around Chloe's new home, He had noticed several problems with rusting pipes and outdated fixtures in the bathroom. Chloe's eyes widened one day when she came home from shift to see Josh in her house, unexpected, on his back in the bathroom with his head stuck inside her bathroom vanity. Sitting beside him was Trixie handing him assorted tools and hardware as requested.

"Did you just let yourself in without asking?" Chloe asked, an unavoidable sigh of exasperation escaped her.

"Yup," Josh drawled, handing a wrench back to Trixie. from under the bathroom vanity. "Darlin', hand me that bag of fig cookies in the plastic bag and put that wrench in the toolbox for me, will ya?"

"Josh, You can't just come into my house uninvited," Chloe started, looking at the assorted mess of tools and rusted piping askew on her bathroom floor. Running her fingers through her hair, she shook her head. "I can't afford a major bathroom renovation right now. I don't have that kind of money save-"

Josh scooted from beneath the bathroom vanity, sitting up and giving Chloe a stern glance. Sitting on the floor in his plain black tee shirt, Wranglers and cowboy boots, Chloe forgot for a moment that God was sitting in the middle of her bathroom.

"First of all, these pipes have been in this house since the 30s and they're rusting," he started, that Texas drawl thicker with the sternness of his attitude. "They need pulled out and redone or they're gonna make your kitchen faucet look like a kiddie fountain. Second, you've got water leaking from a bad calking job around your tub and the water is leaking into the sub-flooring, Chloe. It'll ruin the house and its value."

"You can't just pop in whenever the mood hits-" Chloe found it hard to be angry with the Cowboy. Damn that Southern charm. Like Father, like son: coming and going in her home as they pleased, making monetary decisions for her when neither had any business doing it and both of them had more charm the either deserved.

"But, Mommy, Lucifer does it all the time and he even cooks breakfast!" Trixie offered.

Chloe tried hard to fight the smile that tugged at her lips, but she new it was a losing battle. "That is true, but I've told Lucifer the same thing, Monkey: People can't just go into other people's houses all the time uninvited."

"Chloe," Josh shook his head. "You are welcome in My house anytime and you don't need an invitation. Can't I be welcome in yours?"

"Well, I-uh, that is," Chloe tried wrapping her mind around the concept that God was not only carpenter and mason, but also a licensed electrician, plumber and general contractor. Now, He was sitting on her bathroom floor and she was overwhelmed by the fact she was agnostic and, yet, here He sat. "It isn't supposed to be this way. You can't just reveal to me that you G-"

"Hang on there," He held up his hand to stop her in mid-sentence, turning his attention to Chloe. "Hey, Little Lady, why don't you take go have some of these fig cookies at the table with some milk?"

"I want to stay here and help you, Josh," Trixie protested. "I already know the difference between copper pipe and PVC."

"Yes, you do." He agreed, "but, I need to talk to your Mom one-on-one, okay?"

Trixie rolled her eyes, shaking her head in resignation. "Okay."

After she left with the plastic zip bag of fig cookies, Josh glanced in Trixie's direction. "Hey, who I Am and what I Do are just between you and me, comprende?"

"Gotcha," Chloe nodded slowly. "How much is this fix-it job going to cost me?"

"Well, I'm using PVC to keep material costs down and I'm giving you a discount on labor." Josh said, picking up the assorted tools around him and placing them back in the toolbox.

"That's not what I asked, Josh, and you know it," Chloe pressed. "How much?"

"You wanna pay me $2,500 for parts and labor?" He asked.

"Aw, shit!" Chloe's eyes grew wide.

"Language, Chloe." Josh reminded her. "You know what? Between you and Maze, I'm going to put up a cuss jar and make both of you put in a quarter every time one of you drops some salt. If I do that, you'd be payin' for this job in quarters in a week's time."

"I don't have it," Chloe shook her head. "I didn't ask for you to fix my bathroom, just my kitchen faucet and you can't charge me for what I didn't request."

"I know things are tight right now for you and the youngster," He said, the stern not gone from his deep voice. "I got this covered. It's on me. If you want, you can pay for materials."

Chloe's jaw dropped in amazement. "Why are you doing this, Josh?"

"Chloe, I want my children to love each other and be kind to each other," He said. "I don't get made easily or often, my temper is a slow burn and I have a whole lot of room in my heart for each and every one of you and that means you, too. I don't ignore the calls of the righteous who are in need and right now, you and your bathroom need my righteous skills."

"Well, thank you," He gave a quick nod and rose to his feet, his 6'2" frame towering over Chloe who stood only 5'6".

"You know what, Chloe? You are way too uptight."

"You sound like your son," she admitted. "He also has a habit of meddling in my life and breaking into my house uninvited."

"Well, maybe you need to listen to Me on this one," Josh reached for his cowboy hat as he walked out of the bathroom. "You and Trixie, it just might do you some good to have a get-away for a few days. I got a small ranch and orchard up near Vacaville just off of I-5 South. It's about a six hour trip, but it'd do you and the girl good to get out of the city for a few days."

"Is that a Holy Commandment like, "Thou Shalt Not Touch Maze's Hellblades?" Chloe scoffed.

"No, the Hellblade thing is a commandment. You taking a few days off is just a suggestion," Josh loomed in her front doorway as he grabbed his duster from the coat tree and headed for his Ford F-150. "It do you some good to unwind, Chloe. When I tell someone to go somewhere, they either go, get lost in the desert for 40 years or end up in the belly of a fish. I'm just asking you to take a break for yourself."

"I need to think about it," Chloe said. "Money is tight and I'd have to see if I could get the time off from work."

"Look, your house is in need of repair in the bathroom and I'm gonna have it torn apart for a few days," Josh admitted, getting in the pickup. "You won't be able to use it and I can't have you in the way while I'm trying to get things done. Besides, ask and you get. Get and it'll work out. Go with the flow and throw your worries out the window. Trust Me and you'll never have reason to doubt me."

"What are you going to walk on water and get Maze to quit hogging the bathroom?" Chloe asked.

"Nope," Josh drawled. "I'm gonna fix your bathroom and make sure you have a good well-deserved few days off. Just go and quit overthinking it."

"Have you ever had to share a bathroom with Maze?" Chloe gave him a hard look, snorting in exasperation.

"Do you really wanna have a pissing contest with a cranky demon over bathroom time?" Josh asked.

"No," Chloe chuckled. "At least, she isn't stealing my food right out of my hand anymore."

"Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house." Josh said. "Go take a breather and come back refreshed. By the time you get back, then the bathroom will be done and you might learn to relax."

"Relax?" Chloe huffed. "What's that?"

"I don't understand him. Why won't Amenadiel embrace this city like I have?" Lucifer asked, perplexed by his moody and taciturn elder brother. "I don't get it, Doctor. Los Angeles has everything to offer for every tastes."

"Well," Linda started slowly. "People often need time to adjust to change. And he's only been here for a few months. And if what you say is true..."

"What?" Lucifer chuckled with a bit of disbelief tainting his words. "That he's got a stick so far up his ass you can see it when he yawns?"

"Lucifer, try to empathize about Amenadiel's situation," Linda uncrossed her legs and smoothed her skirt. "Amenadiel is now a fallen angel. He was a holy warrior of righteousness with His Father's favor and now he has tumbled a long way from grace."

"Oh, yes, that, too." Lucifer nodded in agreement. Linda saw the lights of inspiration suddenly give Lucifer's eyes a twinkle that she still adored. "Then this could be about more than finding a home for him."

"Lucifer, I appreciate you caring about Amenadiel's situation, but let's stay on task, please. Focus, Lucifer," she directed him, folding her hands primly in her lap. "We're here to talk about you. Why did you recently decide that this was your home?"

Lucifer thought for a moment before answering. "Well, I said it when I was in a row with my mum. I didn't realize how true it was until I yelled it in her face."

"Yes, your mother, who is a literal goddess of all creation. Still haven't quite wrapped my brain around that one," Linda shook her head in disbelief.

"Yes. Well, anyway, she and Amenadiel want to get back to the Silver City, but it's not my home. It never was," Lucifer replied, leaning back into the over stuff leather sofa.

"And neither was Hell, right?" Linda asked, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"No. No, that was somewhere I was sent as a punishment. Like the DMV, but less screaming," Lucifer fidgeted, adjusting one of his cuff links."

"So would you say that this is your first home?" Linda folded her hands in her lap.

"Yes," Lucifer paused realizing it had been his home longer that he'd know. "I suppose it is."

"And why do you think that's the case?"

"Well, I don't know, Doctor. You tell me. I'm paying you one hundred and eighty dollars an hour to help me understand my rather complex layers."

"I'm helping you help yourself," Linda countered. "Afraid to look or afraid of the answer, Lucifer?"

"A bit of both, I suppose," he sighted.

"I'll help you with this one," Linda gave him a small smile. "I find that people make Los Angeles their home for one of two reasons. Either they're running from something, or looking for something."

"Oh, and which one are you?" his coy question hung between them.

"I'm not the one on the couch, Lucifer, paying one hundred eight dollars per hour. That's your job," she laughed. "So ask yourself which it is, running or looking?"

"Finding," Lucifer felt a tug at his lips as the image of a certain detective showed clearly in his mind's eye. Large blue eyes that crackled with temper or twinkled with wit when she verbally bantered with him. Chloe Decker was an enigma surrounded by a veil of mystery and wrapped in a cloak of aloofness that he could neither permeate, unwrap or decipher. She wasn't any detective, she was his detective. He realized he felt the most peace only when he was at Lux or with Chloe.

A digital beep stopped his mind's wanderings. Focusing his attention back on Linda, he saw her glance at her watch. "We'll pick this up next week, Lucifer. I want you to do something for me this week."

"And, what's that, Doctor?" he flashed her a perfect white smile.

"Think about home and what the word means to you and who is associated with that word," she rose from her chair before she moved to return to her desk. "Next week, we'll discuss how that ties into to your current emotional growth."

Lucifer cruised the L.A. avenues for several hours after his latest session with Dr. Linda. How one human's words had changed his perspective about so much humble d and amazed him. Home began as a where and, somehow, ended up being a who. He shook his head as he realized whatever grew inside him began and ended with Detective Decker.

He chuckled as he remembered after their most current investigation how she complained things were chaotic at her house. It was wearing though her tough skin and starting to burn her last good nerve. Chloe was rarely one to complain, but he knew she showed her inner self to very few people and as she had said, "You make me feel safe, almost invincible."

He remembered that conversation well, making him smile and chuckle.

"Lucifer, quit smoking in my car, damn it!" Chloe yanked the Morley from between his lips and threw it out the window. I don't want my car smelling like an ashtray."

"Detective!" Lucifer feigned indignation. "Did you just litter? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black."

"You want to smoke? Fine. Do it on your own time and in your own damned car!" she snapped, fixing her eyes on the road.

"A bit curmudgeonly this morning, aren't we?" his words held only a hint of sarcasm.

Chloe cast him a sideways glare. "Go to Hell, Lucifer!"

"Detective," he said gently. "I've been there, done the Lord of Hell gig and bought the bloody tee-shirt. Remember to whom you speak, Darling."

She rolled her eyes upward and shrugged. "Why me?"

"Seriously, Detective, what is bothering you?" Lucifer asked without the glibness. Glancing in his direction, she saw the twinkle dim a little in his dark eyes, the smirk replaced by a softened expression of genuine concern. She couldn't believe how he had such idiotic, jackass moments than show true empathy for other. How could he be an asshat and an angel simultaneously? Chloe chuckled to herself, that was just part of his Luciferiness.

"Let me see: Maze hogs the bathroom and strews her makeup and underwear everywhere. My bathroom plumbing is leaking into the sub-floor causing some rot and mold. Water damage repair is going to cost me thousands of dollars that I don't have and now my general contractor wants me to take a vacation as if I'll just get the day off."

"And how is that going to happen, exactly?" Lucifer asked, longing for a drag of his thrown-away cigarette. "Given the recent budget cutbacks in the city budget regarding police staffing, how does he think that is going to happen?"

Chloe shrugged. "He thinks He's God."

Lucifer's brow furrowed in slight confusion. "Did I hear you say what I think you said, Detective? Your handyman thinks He's Dad?"

"Hey, for every action there is an equal opposite and reaction," she gave him a quick smile. "If you are the Devil in the flesh, then you have to have a counterpart. Who knew it'd be a cowboy who is a cross between Sam Elliot and Sean Connery?"

He needed to find out more information about this strange person saying he was Father and he didn't want Chloe to be a cumbersome inconvenience when he decided to get his answers. "Perhaps, a holiday is exactly what you and the Spawn need, Detective. Let me think, I know one of the corporate board members of Disney-"

"No, Lucifer-" she cut him off mid sentence.

"But, Detective, she owes me a favor."

"No, I want peace and quiet," she sighed. "I'm just so...tired. Trixie and I have been through a lot these past several months and I think a quiet getaway is good for us."

Lucifer's heart panged painfully as he saw the subtle dark circles under her eyes and how her jawline appeared more pronounced than usual. "Go have your vacation. Let me, at least, get you a better car than this tin can on wheels. I can have comfortable Lexis for you within the hour or perhaps, knowing you, a Volvo or a Saab? Given how you worry about Beatrice, those are the safest cars made and the most boring."

"Thank you," Chloe said as she pulled into the parking lot of the Precinct. "But, no."

After the wrap-up of his most recent investigation with his Detective, he found that he missed her insanely. No one was there to give him good banter with subtle, dry wit or scold him when he broke some mundane taboo. He missed the sound of her voice quietly saying his name, the smell of her shampoo in her hair, making it smell like sunshine. He missed holding her in his arms as he'd only done once or twice when she trusted him enough to reveal her inner self, feeling her warmth against him.

The only taste on his tongue was a combination of double malt Scotch and a Morley half-burnt to the filter that sent swirling blue smoke into the air. He tapped a few keys on the piano and he felt as though he had lost everything: his home was taken from him and now, without Chloe, his entire life seemed hollow. /p

"Oh, Bloody Hell," he swore, slamming keyboard cover shut. "Next, I'll be blathering by singing Barry Manilow."

"You, doing Barry Manilow?" A voice called to him from across the club. "That's be a first!"

"Detective!" Lucifer immediately crushed his Morley into the ashtray, looking away to slip his roguish mask securely into to place and to banish the hot sting in his eyes to a faraway place.

"No one was willing to stand next to you in front of the bulldozers?" she walked halfway across the dance floor, stopping and observing.

"No," he confirmed. "No, I sent everybody home," Lucifer inhaled deeply of the smoke surrounding him, as if trying to draw strength from it, he sighed in resignation. I thought I'd say my good-byes on my own. Stiff upper lip and all that, you know."

"Good-byes? I thought you were gonna fight for this place."

"Well, so did I, but,, it occurred to me that much as I love this place, I can always build a new one. I mean, it wasn't just the walls that made it my home."

"It was the people."

"Yes and, well, the women." Lucifer admitted. "No worries, Detective. They'll flock to any new place I go to, so..." he gave her a shrug and let his words fall into silence.

"Hmm," Chloe presented a folder, setting it in front of him. "Well, that makes this sort of anticlimactic, but Lux has been named a Heritage Site by Los Angeles County."

Lucifer glanced at the paperwork in the folder, notarized and signed by a name he recognized but had never crossed paths with the person. He read the statutes and saw the signature making the document official. Lucifer finally remembered how to form words as amazement filled him at what Chloe had done. "Detective, is this…

"I had a friend in the city council push it through who owed me a favor and I used your, uh, little history lesson as inspiration. Lux is protected now. It can't be demolished for development." A note of excitement subtly crept into her voice.

"Detective, you saved my home."

"Well, you'd still have to buy it back from Eleanor Bloom, I'm sure well above market price. You can afford it." Chloe said. "Besides, you helped me find a good place for Trixie and me. Because of you, I have a reliable, if not, occasionally psychotic nymphomaniac, roommate. How could I let my best friend lose home when home means so much?"

"Er, uh-" Lucifer cleared his throat, the awkward sentiment wrapped around him like a necktie that was too tight. He gave a nervous chuckle. His jaw hung slack for a half a second as he stumble for the words that wouldn't come. "I... I-I mean, I simply don't know what to say. I'm-I'm normally the one doing the favors and for a price."

Chloe looked at him for a long moment and Lucifer wasn't sure what to make of her expression. "Friends help each other out. Besides, you can smoke in your house instead of my car."

"Yeah, well, let me at least buy you dinner tonight to celebrate. I know this amazing steakhouse and the chef is an absolute artist in the kitchen. I mean he's also a degenerate gambler and owes me a favor. Otherwise, you'll just go home and eat one of those poisonous sandwiches you get from the vending machine at work."

"I really need to get home," she started.

"To what? A street urchin who doesn't help with the rent? Besides, you and I both know that she is with Detective Douche and do you really wish to be around your psychotic nymphomaniacal roommate while she watches porn?"

"Not really, not when you put it like that," Chloe couldn't contain the smile that Lucifer's charm elicited. He saw the twitch tug at her lips and the smile break free. "Come on, Detective. Friends help each other out."

"Dinner, it is." Chloe agreed.

Later, after the sun rose, and Lucifer had time to process the strange turn of events. His heart wrenched in confusion as he tried to understand why Chloe had done such a thing for him. His heart elated when those clear blue eyes had been wide and sincere when she looked at him, her voice husky with emotion as she'd explained what she done. His heart had exploded within his chest and he didn't want to say what it had done to balls after a very long hot shower very early in the morning. Even after a good release, he was still perplexed at Chloe's actions. Luckily, his session with Doctor Linda was scheduled the same date and he hoped for resolution to come from it.

"Doctor, I was simply stunned." Lucifer gave a helpless shrug as he pondered the unexpected turn of events. "She saved Lux. No strings attached. I-I didn't even ask."

"Well," Linda began slowly. "Chloe saw that your home is a very important place to you. Does it really surprise you that she'd want to help you protect it? Do you think she doesn't care for you?"

He gave a slight scoff. "Well, I...suppose. She did call me her best friend."

"Lucifer, close friends and people with strong emotional bonds make gestures like that all the time. You just saw two people go to jail for each other."

"But, Doctor, those people were clearly insane. Now their home is a jail cell."

"You realized earlier that "home" meant more to you than Lux. That you could lose Lux and still have a place here." Linda reminded him smother her skirt, feeling that crackle in the air that he was about to have a monumental breakthrough. Linda decided she must be firm, but gentle with Lucifer for that moment to manifest.

"Because Los Angeles is my home. Lux or no," Lucifer said.

Linda pressed with her deliberate questioning. "Are you sure that's what you were really looking for?"

"Well, what else would it be?"

"Something occurred to me when you introduced me to your mother. Why is it that I'm the only human in your life who knows who you really are?" Linda asked.

"Because you asked me, remember? You insisted that I show you," Lucifer replied.

"And you did, but, Detective Decker has asked you many times."

"And I always tell her the truth." Lucifer reminded Linda.

"Yes…but, you know she doesn't believe you. You could show her your true face, but you don't. Why is that?"

Lucifer fidgeted in his seat, finding Doctor Linda's gaze most uncomfortable as he considered her questions. Yet, he didn't want to admit the answer that he'd known for some time, but hadn't wanted to admit.

"Do you think it's because you might be afraid of how she might react? Because you care that much about what she thinks of you or how much you've come to care for her?"

"No, I-I-I'm sorry." a look of fearful confusion making his eyes wide. "Doctor, I don't really understand where you're going with this."

"I think you did come to Los Angeles looking for something. But I also think you've stopped. Because maybe you've found it: in Chloe. Chloe is your home. I'd go so far to say that your feelings for Chloe go beyond friendship, perhaps you're even in love with her."

"That's absolute rubbish, Doctor!" Lucifer rose from the sofa, his eyes gleaming crimson as he looked at her.

"If it's absolute rubbish," Linda pressed, staring into that crimson gaze, no longer afraid of what she saw there. "Then, why are you so frightened of it?"

"The Devil doesn't fall in love!" Lucifer barked, tugging on his blazer to straighten it.

"You're no longer the Devil, Lucifer," Linda drove her point into Lucifer with more daring that any had within the past millennium with him. "You're someone else now. Heaven never felt like your home because you couldn't be truly who you wanted to be. Hell certainly wasn't your home and the title 'Devil: Lord of Hell' is no different that a title or a job description. Your home here is on Earth where you feel more at ease than you've ever have. Am I wrong?"

"No, Doctor," Lucifer sat back down, stunned by the accuracy of her words and in shock at how powerfully true they were. The revelation of what he couldn't see but the Doctor had known all this time sent his system into a combination of epiphany and shut-down.

"You're becoming more human every day, very much the your Father's beloved creations," Linda continued. "You've formed relationships, bonds and friendships. Now, you've fallen in love with Chloe Decker and to pardon the pun, it scares the Hell out of you!"

"I can't fall in love," Lucifer sighed, giving Linda a forlorn glance. "I'm not human."

"Nonsense, Lucifer." Linda riposted. "Our session is over. What is more important to you? Your happiness or Chloe's? Why have you changed and why is it that you've come to consider this place and this woman your home. Think about those things and we'll pick up there next week."

10:17 p.m.: Lux

Lucifer sat in the dark with his double malt Scotch, awed and humbled by the Doctor's words their impact upon him. It'd been one thing when he'd realized for himself and resigned himself to the silent truth, but to have another person see it clearly and confront him with it left him stunned and bare.

He knew Chloe proverbially captured him through no fault of her own. While men and women distracted him with the shags and the orgies, they didn't dull the pain or the power of the love he felt for her. He didn't want more nights of empty pleasure or nights of being without her or alone. He wanted her happiness above all else, but he was the Devil, for Dad's sake! This was unprecedented. How could a sod like him make Chloe happy and be what she deserved?

Linda was great at delivering information but, gave nothing in the way of advice. The smooth burn of the Scotch marked his throat and the smell of the Morley smoke gave him little comfort. He heard Chloe's voice in his head about the stench and he quickly put it out. His phone pinged.

He looked at it, reading Chloe's text. " Fine. I'm heading home."

Lucifer felt ashamed because he had ran away from his. He hung his head in his hands and his shoulders silently heaved. Her name came out a ragged prayer, "Oh, Chloe."

To be continued. . .


	12. A God's Eye View

For God so loved His son so much that he gave him the world that whosoever believed in him would save his son and restore his everlasting life. Josh had His Miracle in place, but hadn't anticipated how free will changed it all for his beloved son, Samael. Well, His Miracle, sometimes, works in mysterious ways.

Disclaimer: All of the characters appearing in Lucifer are copyrighted by Fox Television, Neil Gaiman and Vertigo Comics. No infringement of these copyrights intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. I write this fanfiction only for fun and not for profit.

November 28. 2016

Josh had the windows of his rolled down as he pulled onto the 2800 block of Zephyr, the late November California breeze blowing gently through the open windows of the pick-up cab. Today was a great day, Josh thought, smiling to himself as he how his favorite song playing at good volume. Strains of The Hollies song "Long Cool Woman" filled the neighborhood. Josh kept time to the beat by tapping his fingers on the steering wheel as he pulled into the parking lot of Sel Mar Apartments. He parked in the parking lot for a moment, letting the music surround Him, taking a swig of his favorite root beer before opening the driver's side door and swinging his lanky legs down to the ground.

He noticed a small black convertible speed into the parking lot, classic rock blaring from expensive, well-hidden speakers. Josh snorted, seeing the roadster's body vibrate in rhythm with the music's loud base line while its driver take a swallow from a silver whiskey flask. He saw a tall, lithe man his own height stretch his long legs out the side of the vehicle. Josh looked own at his own black tee-shirt, Levis and cowboy boots and compared it to the younger man's custom-tailored black suit, waistcoat and Italian leather dress shoes. Josh saw the stylish stubble that contoured the younger man's jaw and Josh strongly preferred His mustache. Both black haired and of medium complexion, it wasn't hard to see the two men were related.

That is, if anyone could see Him.

"Yeah, apple didn't fall that far from the tree with that one," he chuckled, grabbing his toolbox from the truck bed. He watched his son stride past him without a look in His direction, fidgeting with his waistcoat as he stood before Chloe's front door. He watched Lucifer nervously adjust his cuff links, straighten his jacket and run long fingers through his hair. He raised his hand to knock. The door opened and Lucifer made his way inside past Chloe.

"This oughta be good," Josh followed him, setting down his toolbox on the porch, folding his arms and casually leaning in the open doorway.

"I owe you an explanation," Lucifer said without preamble.

"Oh, Really? Why? Was it for... leaving me all alone at a restaurant so the server could give me pitiful glances all night?" I know what your explanation is and I don't want to know her name, especially not today." Chloe's hurt and frustration dripped from every word.

"Busted, son." Josh shook his head. He wanted to see how his son would charm his way out of this one.

"Actually, Detective, that isn't what I was going to say, I..." he started.

Josh recognized that urgent tone in Lucifer's voice. There was no charm coming from the Lightbringer today; he was sincerity and earnestness dressed in Prada. Before he finished his sentence, Josh saw Chloe raise her hand to halt him in mid-sentence, her brow furrowed in anger.

"Look, Lucifer, I don't have time for this. I was just on my way out. Besides, this is my fault. I should've known how selfish and thoughtless you can be."

Her words pierced His son's pride. Josh winced at her words and Lucifer's reaction when he watched his son's expression change from urgency to hurt from Chloe's harsh words. He saw the Samael he remembered: loving, honest, vulnerable. He saw his little boy instead of the stranger that looked vaguely like His son. Josh couldn't contain the long sigh that escaped him. 'The boy always wore his heart on his wings."

"Lucifer!" A cheerful voice cut away the tension with one word.

"Penelope!" At least one of the Decker women still liked him.

She gave him a welcoming hug and a kiss on each cheek. "You are the sweetest to come support us on such a difficult day."

Oh. I bet you an arm and a leg, Mom, that he has no idea what today is.

Well, that's rather unwise of you to wager your lovely extremities, Detective. Particularly as I'm perfectly aware of what today is, actually. It's a very difficult day... because...

"Today," Chloe raised a brow and crossed her arms.

"Today is. . ." Lucifer parroted, looking to Penelope for clues, but finding none.

"The first day," Chloe smirked.

"The first day. . ." Lucifer continued

". . . of the trial," she shook her head.

"of the trial of. . ."

"My dad's killer. "

"My dad's killer!" Lucifer repeated. "Nietzsche? No, wait. Your dad's killer. Yes, no, I knew that. I knew that. That's why I'm here, to support you. Not talk about myself 'cause that would be selfish."

"Yeah, pretty much and you're still pretty full of bullshit, Lucifer."

"Not, today, Detective," he gave Penelope a nod. "So, consider me an emotional jockstrap for the Decker family jewels.

"No, you're the dick," Chloe muttered, turning around without another word and strode past Josh.

"She's hot under the collar today, Son, you're gonna need more that charm to get yourself out of this one." Josh looked in Chloe's direction.

"Detective!" Lucifer called after her when Penelope put a hand on his shoulder

"Oh, Lucifer, she's stressed. I mean, who wouldn't be?" Penelope said.

"I didn't mean to," he started, watching the Detective get in her car.

"Let her breathe," Penelope advised. "You're being there will be the best thing for us both. She'll come around. Let me ride with you and I'll fill you in on the details."

"Smashing," Lucifer's perfect smile reappeared.

Josh watched as the trio as they all drove toward the trial. "Maybe that water heater can wait a bit. I think I need to be there."

Josh stepped out to the vending machine just down the hall from the courtroom, disappointed the machine didn't have his favorite brand of root beer. He went with the option available, popping the tab and enjoying the cold carbonation burning away the sleepiness from His body. Digging into his pocket, he grabbed a handful of quarters and selected the organic fruit juice he knew Chloe liked so well.

Josh cast a shaded look toward the courtroom, hoping she'd be all right. Seeing Sam, now Lucifer, after a few hundred millennia had been a shock to His system. His son wasn't the same precocious, rebellious boy that He remembered, not when he was around Chloe Decker. She was Lucifer's saving grace and a walking miracle.

He knew Chloe needed support during this next stage of the trial because her heart was breaking all over again after losing her father and reopening old wounds. He was surprised by Lucifer's presence, but still pleased that his son had shown the kind, gentle heart he'd once possessed before his mother had poisoned his mind against Him.

He quietly walked along the expanse of the marble-floored hall, his boot heels making no sound against the polished stone as he quietly walked past the bailiff who seemingly took no notice of the tall cowboy walking through the doors of the courtroom. He found an empty chair beside Chloe, placing the can bottled fruit juice.

Her eyes stayed constantly on the eccentric man wearing a designer suit and a woman's purple scarf draped around his waist. "Aw, son, you always had a flair for the dramatic."

"Thank you, Mr. Morningstar. What a, uh, vivid picture. It's almost as if Boris himself just testified," The prosecuting attorney straightened his blazer.

"Except a more handsome version," the judge whispered in Lucifer's direction, giving him a sly wink.

"Oh, stop it, Judy." Josh rolled his eyes when his son feigned false modesty. 'That boy always had a thing with the ladies.'

"Thank you," the prosecutor moved to sit.

"Right actually, to that, I would like to add one more thing, if I may," Lucifer flashed a smile a Judy who gave another adoring smile and a permissive nod

"I think we've had enough, Your Honor," Charlotte interjected.

"Shh," Judge Judy quickly admonished Charlotte for breaking the spell of the best part of her day. She returned her attention to the darling witness. "Please, continue Luc-, I mean, Mr. Morningstar.

"Thank you, my darling." Lucifer returned his attention to the jury and the courtroom spectators. "Yes, I'd just like to say, for the record, the LAPD, and Detective Decker, in particular, acted impeccably on this case."

The courtroom grew silent with the intensity of his emotion carried into his words. Instead of looking at the jury, Lucifer focused his eyes solely upon Chloe. Josh leaned back in his chair, pushing back the brim of his black Stetson, wondering what Lucifer's next antic might be.

"This whole courtroom, nay, the entire city can rest assured that someone as honest, trustworthy, and reliable as Detective Decker is out there protecting them. She is," he swallowed, blinking his eyes several times which shined with unspoken emotion. "truly good. And I don't mean in bed. I wouldn't know. That's how good she is."

Thick black brows shot up in surprise when he watched his Sam swallow the lump of emotion in his throat and those eyes, dark and fiery, never took their gaze of Chloe. He saw a quick sheen of emotion quickly blinked away as Lucifer withdrew his heart back into himself. Josh nodded in slow grudging approval.

Sam was jaded with an impenetrable wall of anger surrounding him cloaked in suave sophistication, seduction, charisma and wit. He numbed his pain and emotions in hedonistic debauchery, trying in vein to numb the heartbreak and scars on hidden deep within his soul. Josh knew reconciliation remained impossible because of the rage Lucifer carried for him.

Josh so loved his beloved son that he game him the world that whosoever believed in Lucifer would keep him from perishing and he'd return to eternal life in the Silver City. Lucifer needed grace. Better than that, he needed Chloe.

Josh glanced over to his left, starting at the miracle sitting in the chair with clear, blue eyes locked solidly and the dark gaze that reflected her unspoken emotions. Chloe was sincere and unpretentious about sharing her heart with someone she trusted. Her walls were high, but fragile when it came to Lucifer Morningstar. She eased the his pain and brought justice with her strong principles and disciplined mindset. She was Sam's miracle, but Sam had to accept it of his own free will just a Chloe had to accept freely the choice of loving him.

"Thank you. Miss Richards? Your witness." the prosecuting attorney motioned toward Lucifer.

"I have no questions at this time," Charlotte gave a ghost of a smile which made Lucifer stare intently in her direction.

"What are you up to now, Mother?" he muttered under his breath.

Josh saw Charlotte Richards begin her cross-examination after the short recess ordered by Judge Judy. The mortal body she wore encapsulating her divinity couldn't hide her true nature from Josh. He saw her beauty the moment she rose to her feet and he felt like a bucking bronco had kicked him in the balls. He knew she was on Earth and he wanted to her plans once Sam found a loophole through their deal. Still, he never thought that she'd be so intimately associated with Sam given the bitterness he held toward his parents.

He saw her beauty and quick intellect shine through her mortal coil, thinking of how a star came alive through explosion and fusion and how it paled in comparison to the visage in front of Him. She was still as lovely as the first day they encountered each other.

"Detective Decker, Lucifer Morningstar is your partner, correct?" Charlotte began her questioning with mundane, routine inquiries establishing the relationship Chloe had with Lucifer. Josh reached into his pocket, grabbing a half-sleeve of his favorite fig cooking and taking a bite of one, followed by a swig of root beer.

"Yes. He's a civilian consultant for the LAPD. We work cases together."

"And how is he qualified for this role?" Charlotte asked.

"He is very, uh, intuitive. He, um, understands people's desires," Chloe searched for the right words as she looked over at Lucifer who gave her a needed nod of encouragement.

Charlotte pressed on with her line of questioning. "And in addition to that, I assume he studied law enforcement?"

Chloe paused for a moment, her voice quieter than her previous answer. "Not to my knowledge, no."

"Does he have a professional background which is somehow relevant to law enforcement?"

"He owns a nightclub," the Detective stated.

"I see," Charlotte replied, a subtle smirk appearing on her face. Josh knew that look all too well. She had something planned and damned if she wasn't going to use it to get her way. "I'm sure his previous job was more relevant to his role as a civilian consultant for the LAPD? Right?"

The court room grew quiet with that question.

"Mm," Chloe began nodding her head in agreement, her gaze looking off to the left in contemplation. Charlotte went back to her table, pouring herself a glass of water before slowly tightening the proverbial legal web she had started spinning. Chloe chuckled. "Well, if you believe his claims that he used to run Hell."

Josh chuckled at her spunk as she gave an innocent smile to Charlotte along with the Chloe's single thought that ran in his mind louder than the trumpets of Heaven, 'Bitch.'

Charlotte spit out her water, coughed for several seconds and cleared her throat to regain her composure. He watched Chloe's eyes light with that pure blue fire that burnt deep within her soul. Charlotte gawked at Chloe's audacity to say such a thing, but Chloe continued in that vein of unpredictability that made her send any celestial creature into a tailspin. "Then yes, he's accustomed to punishing bad guys."

"That a girl, Chloe." Josh said with approval.

Now, it was Charlotte's turn to smile. "I'm confused, Detective. Are you suggesting your partner is delusional, or just lying?"

Charlotte and Chloe's eyes' met with the look of war raging in the hearts of both women. "Lucifer Morningstar is many things, but he is not a liar."

Josh glanced over at his son, seeing the look of amazement cross his features. Reading his son, he knew Samael had a hard time believing that anyone thought so highly of him. Josh had many regrets about how he and Sam parted ways. One son had bridged the gap between Him and humans, but how did God save a fallen angel? According to the very nature of the universe, since angels had free will and the powers of the divine, there wasn't the same room for forgiveness because they weren't encumbered with the heavy challenges of the corporeal realm.

Until they chose to come to Earth.

Josh then understood that what had worked for Humanity might work for His Beloved Sons, Amenadiel and Samael. He'd loved his son so much that when they chose the world, He gave it to them so that if they believed in love, they'd return to the everlasting Silver City. Both his eldest and his favorite lost their divinity through choice. However, one lost it through rebellion and the other through self-righteousness. He made His Miracle for both of them and both had to accept it.

"Everything that Mr. Morningstar said on this stand is absolutely true," Chloe declared. "I was the first person on that crime scene. And, yes, I shouldn't have been anywhere near it, but, I let my emotions get the best of me." Chloe's eyes were red with unshed emotions and Josh couldn't help but smile when he saw Samael give her an encouraging smile.

"Oh, Detective," Josh heard Lucifer utter under his breath with heartfelt emotion.

"Lucifer is the best partner I have ever had and I can only hope that he can count on me as much as I count on him."

Prosecuting Attorney Stedman cut through Josh's reverie as he redirected the audience's attention. "Your Honor, we request the jury be instructed to disregard Detective Decker's entire testimony.

His Miracle was The Key to reuniting his sons' redemption and returning them to the Silver City. He had made Chloe with the intention of being the Miracle Lucifer needed, but He hadn't intended for Samael or Chloe to fall in love. Still, free will was something Josh never messed with. It was a point of honor for Him. He gave that gift freely to all of His children, be they angelic or human.

Josh sat in the court room, feet kicked up and resting on the empty chair in front of him long after the people had emptied the chamber. Shaking His head in amazement, it warmed Him to see his son becoming the beautiful Angel he was meant to be. He put Chloe above all else and loved her with his entire being. He gave of himself in ways he'd never done previously for anyone else and that made His father smile. It was good to have His exclusive view and wanted to see how free will played in this unexpected turn of events.

"And now, back to the hacienda to finish installing that shower," Josh said, rising from the chair and as he exited, letting the court room doors close behind Him.

TO BE CONTINUED


	13. Monogamous Interruptus

January 21st, 2017

Chloe smiled, thinking that Maze had been insane suggesting a get-together at their condo. Of course, all precautions had been taken: Trixie was spending time at Dan's house for the weekend. Chloe thought the relationship odd between Maze and Amenadiel: a constant love and hate, on and off again relationship that show some emotional bonding, but more so just sexual due to dirty laundry resulting from soiled sheets.

It had started as an ordinary evening with Lucifer and Amenadiel cooking for the ladies in the kitchen and serving it with all the poshness of a five-star restaurant. Chloe took the opportunity to ask questions about Heaven and Hell, finding it mildly amusing that the three never found it unusual that she asked. Recently, her feelings for Lucifer had changed; subtly and slowly without her immediate notice.

After conferring with Lorne at Caritas, Josh in the Bathroom about the Grander Scheme of the Universe and Dr. McCoy about her paranormal medical findings, Chloe didn't know if she'd been caught in a mass delusion or if she were simply spiraling into insanity. Had she told anyone that her partner was Satan, a demon was her roommate, God was her handyman and heaven's eldest angel was her roommate's boinking buddy, she surely would've been recommended therapy.

Lucifer had brought Chloe her favorite drink: Tequila. No, Lucifer didn't bring just any generic version, be brought her the high end version that would've been a good portion of her weekly paycheck: Rey Sol Anejo. He had introduced her to the exclusive tequila one evening after shift at Lux and Chloe quickly love the flavor of spicy vanilla flavor with a hint of a caramel.

She watched after dinner how Amenadiel's inhibitions melted away with his imbibing of peach schnapps. Eventually he and Maze wandered away from dinner and Chloe knew she was alone in doing the dishes once she heard Maze's door slam shut. Being responsible, she cleared the dinner table and Lucifer, in his grandiose flamboyance, made it a point to remind her how he was helping her.

"Have you ever been in love, Lucifer?" Chloe asked, filling the new granite-composite sink with water.

"No, why ever would you ask such an odd question?" Lucifer looked at as if she'd grown a third eye, clearing his throat and looking for a new distraction.

"Why do you sleep with everyone?" Chloe looked at him with a forlorn look in her eyes. "Have you ever thought about settling down with just one person?"

"What and not share this with the world?" Lucifer motioned up and down himself. "I am God's gift after all, the Lightbringer and all that."

"Forget I asked," Chloe sniffed, feeling hot tears start to form behind her eyelids She sniffed once. "I figured as much."

"No, Darling, wait," he put a hand on her shoulder, his head leaning slightly to the side. "You're serious."

"Forget it."

"It's not about actually being God's gift. I was only joking."

"Why do you sleep with everyone, Lucifer?" Chloe couldn't find the courage to look him in the eye when she asked that question.

"I love sex, it's delightful….and, I suppose, it makes me feels as though I've found my home, but sometimes, I feel….empty."

Chloe didn't look at him, nodding once and wishing she hadn't drank so much damned tequila.

"Detective," Lucifer replied, giving her a quizzical look. "I think I tried filling an emptiness with sex that can't be filled, but I think I've learned what did it all the long and I just didn't realize it."

"I couldn't that way," Chloe hiccupped, pouring bleach into the rinse water. "Do you want to wash or dry?"

"Detective, you can't be serious?" he looked down at her. "Did you not hear what I said?"

"You eat here, you clean here," Chloe's stern voice gave him no room to get out of dishes. "Wash or dry?"

"Dry," he answered, picking up a yellow floral dishtowel. "That's not what I meant. Have you ever felt so empty and lonely, Detective, that you'd do anything to fill that void?"

"I understand," Chloe gave Lucifer a knowing glance. "For you, it's sex and for me it's work."

"Sex is much more fun, Detective," Lucifer gave a smug nod and wriggled his brows, silently daring her to disagree.

"Speak for yourself. Just because I'm lonely doesn't mean I don't go around treating my body like a bus station where everyone gets free use of it," Chloe dunked the dinner plates into the water while grabbing the scrub brush. "I don't know if I was born or chose to be this way, but I believe in monogamy and casual sex does nothing for me."

Lucifer felt the effects of the whiskey as he stood next to the Detective, knowing his favorite alcohol had affected his better judgment and his ability to speak clearly. He glanced over at his partner hard at work scrubbing one of the dinner plates. Lucifer couldn't recall when he'd last seen Chloe appear this relaxed, this beautiful, anytime during their association. Here eyes were wide and dark blue, innocent and sensuous all at once.

"Detective, being a bit judgmental much?" he asked, taking the plate from chlorinated rinse water and drying it by had with the yellow dishtowel. "What do you truly you think of me?"

"Hmm..," Chloe felt the tequila loosen her tongue. "Do you want me to be honest or be nice?

"I have never lied to you nor will I ever," his voice grew soft. "Truly, would I be such a bad boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend?" Chloe snorted. "You are joking, right?"

"No, Detective, as a matter of fact," Lucifer's indignation punctuated every word. "I'm not."

"Lucifer, you're a man-whore," Chloe scoffed, watching Lucifer's eyes grow wide with her bluntness. "You fuck anything with a pulse and you don't care. Diseases, unplanned pregnancy? Do you even think of the consequences? You've slept with everyone else in L.A."

"I can't father children and I can't catch a disease unless you're within 300 feet of me," he said, locking his gaze onto the dish he was currently drying. He placed the dish onto the drying rack. "And I haven't slept with everyone. I haven't slept with you, now have I, Detective?"

"And can't you call me Chloe just once?" Chloe's blunt question hinted anger in her tone. "Why can't you call me by my name, Chloe?"

"Because you're special and everyone calls you Chloe," Lucifer said softly. "I want to call you something no one else does."

"Sorry to disappoint, but that's my name," she sighed. "I'm just plain and boring Chloe Jane Decker."

"Chloe," Lucifer put the dishtowel aside, turning to her and catching her hands in his. "You are neither plain nor boring to me. You are so much more to me than I've thought possible, in ways that words fail to describe."

"You almost have me believing you care, Lucifer," she smirked. "As far as our so-called moment, I let my emotions get the best of me the other night, okay? I made a mistake. You and me, it's not happening."

"I do care, more than you imagine. How can I be worthy of you? How can I show you?"

"You don't have to be worthy of me," Chloe sighed. "You have to accept, Lucifer, that we are very different people with very different priorities. Monogamy being one."

Lucifer's dark eyes brightened as he watched Chloe washing the shot glasses. "Detec-, er, Chloe, you value a person who is always honest with you, that you can count upon, right?"

"Of course," she agreed.

"You said those things about me court," he continued, a slow smile coming to his face.

"Everything I said about you in court was absolutely true," Chloe's attention left the shot glass in her hand as she reached for a turquoise plate that once belonged to her grandmother. "You are a good partner and a friend, but it'll never be more than that."

"You said that you believe in monogamy," Lucifer said with a grin. "having a sexual relationship with only one partner at time. So, you thought about having sex with me?"

"Get over it, Lucifer!" Chloe glared at her partner, poking the scrub bush into his chest. "There will be no sex."

"What if I became monogamous?"

Chloe's favorite Fiestaware plate slipped from her hands and shattered into pieces and the tile floor. "What?"

"After Jana left the other night, I wondered how I could be what you need. I've had an epiphany: I'll be monogamous. For you, I'd do it if you'd have me."

"Lucifer, a person doesn't just give up a way of life on a whim."

"One can if that person lo-" Blue eyes darted in his direction. Lucifer cleared his throat and chose his words. "er, longs to make a change, Chloe."

"Easier said than done, Lucifer. Pardon me, if I'm more than skeptical."

"I know Detective Douche hurt you and you don't trust many people, but you've said you can let your guard down with me," Lucifer flashed her a perfect white smile. "If I don't shag anyone for a month, would you reconsider me and give me a chance?"

"Lucifer, you don't need to prove yourself to me," Chloe rolled her eyes. "And there's so much more to monogamy than keeping your dick inside your zipper. Monogamy is a sign that you care enough for another person to put aside sexual desire for others out of consideration for the person you're with. That just isn't you."

"Chloe Jane, what if it could be?" he asked His rich, deep baritone voice made Chloe shiver where she stood. "I want you to know what you mean to me and I'll do whatever it takes for you to know how special you are to me. Let me show you that I can be a good boyfriend. Give me a chance to prove myself to you."

"I-" she didn't know what to say at that point.

"I promise no intimate contact with anyone of either sex, not so much as a peck on the cheek," he solemnly held up his hand. "so help me Dad, except for you. You'll be the only one I kiss or touch in any fashion."

"You're serious, aren't you?" Chloe's eyes widened slightly.

"Quite," he declared. His eyes held a faint glow of crimson that Chloe recognized, wondering if it were her acceptance of that unspoken nature or part of her delusion.

"Lucifer, it's not your nature-"

"Free will, Detective, free will," he interrupted. "I'll will be as pure as the driven snow if only to earn your kiss. If I prove myself worthy to you as a good boyfriend, I ask only for a kiss in return."

Chloe studied those dark onyx eyes for a moment and say Lucifer's earnestness and sincerity. He never admitted it, but Chloe saw his proverbial heart on his sleeve. He'd never lied to her in all the time they'd worked together. She trusted Lucifer Morningstar with her life, her child, but not her heart. He'd shatter her in heart into a thousand shards just like the broken Fiestaware plate that lay in pieces on the floor.

Was Lucifer capable of keeping such a promise? Did Lucifer have a heart human enough to break? Was he worth the risk of being hurt again? She counted on him for so much, but she'd never admit it aloud or he'd never let her hear the end of it. How she wanted to just lose her barriers and simply in Lucifer's love. More yet, how she longed to know if she could love him in return.

Chloe turned to Lucifer, looking ruggedly handsome with his five-o'-clock shadow, rolled up shirt sleeves and navy blue waistcoat.

"I'd like to find out if you can keep that promise, Lucifer," she gave him a smile. "Truly, I would. I'd be happy to be wrong and give you that kiss, it only it could be. I just don't see how, Lucifer."

"Chloe, oh my Chloe," he pulled her to him, touching his brow to hers, tucking a stray tendril of blonde behind one ear. "How I long to be what you need. Those lovers I had, I gave them empty pleasures and I took mine as well. If there is a better way to live, I want to live it with you."  
***********

January 24th, 2017.

Lucifer walked along the beach where he had first landed and where he had commanded Maze to amputate his wings. This is where he staged their burning though he had them still conveniently locked away. What Amenadiel and Maze didn't know wouldn't hurt him. He stared out toward the ocean, remembering how it was the first sound that greeted him his first night on earth. He remembered the moonlight, the pain and the freedom of those first few moments on Earth.

Now, new pain stabbed him, slicing a part of him away from the rest of his being. First, it had been wings and, now, the realization that Chloe had been right all the long. He wasn't what she needed and he'd never be able to be good enough in her eyes for him to be in her life as more than partner and friend.

"Hey," her voice broke his melancholy reverie. "I've been looking for you everywhere. I tracked your phone's GPS."

"Well, here I am." he said with more cheerfulness that he felt.

"Well, we should wrap up the arrest report, and by that I mean paperwork, not some celebratory drink that you'll then turn into a moment. I had too much tequila the other night."

Lucifer chuckled at the painful reality of conversation, putting on his blazer to get away from the bittersweet pain of being next to Chloe. "Yes, and I do agree with you about that, actually. Not just the tequila, of course, but that I realized it would never work out between us."

"Really?"

"Indeed," Lucifer's looked over the ocean and back to his Detective. "So, from this point on, no more tequila or attempted moments. I'd be honored to simply continue working by your side, if you'll have me."

"I see," Chloe's brows furrowed with deep thought. "It's not like you to quit."

"No, Detective, I have quite, I've chosen to end my attempts at wooing you."

"Why now after all this time?" she asked.

"I've had an epiphany, of sorts. You deserve someone worthy of you and that isn't me."

"That's not what I've been saying, Lucifer," Chloe started.

"I know. It's what I'm saying. You.. deserve someone better because you, Detective, are selfless to a nauseating degree. You always put your daughter first, even though the ungrateful urchin does nothing to contribute to the rent." With hands shoved deep within his pockets, Lucifer reminded Chloe of a shy schoolboy.

Chloe couldn't her laugh at his sarcasm.

"You deserve someone worthy of that grace. Someone who knows that every crime scene breaks your heart, even though you'd never admit it. Someone who actually appreciates your impossibly boring middle name. Jane. More importantly, Detective, you deserve someone as good as you... because... well, you're special and I'm... I'm not worth it."

Lucifer had listened. She heard it his voice and saw it in his eyes. Humility, loss, pain. Love. For the first time in all the time, she'd known Lucifer, Chloe saw him put another person's needs before his own. Perhaps, he'd been doing that all the long.

Every lover of his interviewed had said three things: it was the best night of sex they'd ever had when they'd each been with Lucifer. Secondly, he had worshiped them, being creatively different with them and being attuned to their sexual needs. He'd taken great pride in giving them pleasure first before taking his own. He had honor, he'd said the other night his life had felt empty. The people of interest said he'd been generous. Lucifer had brought her burgers and fries, held her as she cried when he'd said such wonderful words about her father and became her strength when her world fell apart.

He had done that only for her. Emotional monogamy. Devotion in it's truest, purist form came from his heart. He just didn't realize it and neither had she until that moment on the beach.

Chloe made her decision. She trusted this man in her life and with her life a thousand times and more. He made her a better detective and, in the midst of all the Luciferness, had become her best friend. Chloe Decker wanted more.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Chloe stepped forward, hoping it wasn't too late. Reaching up on her tiptoes, she brought her lips to his softly, quickly and then pulled away. Her silent questions and hopes reflected in those blue eyes that mirrored the silver of the sea.

"Detective," there was a breathy quality to Lucifer's deep voice, its confidence lost and replaced by question and hope. Chloe said nothing as she threaded her fingers in the dark hair at the nape of his neck and they kissed. Citrus and cinnamon. Smoke and Silver.


	14. Wild Wings

February 4th, 2017

"Well, look who's back. You didn't die after all," Lucifer leaned forward, giving Chloe his most charming smile.

"That makes one of us. I heard you saved me," Chloe read his body language, the way he leaned forward broadcasted he was more concerned that what he let on.

"Well... much as I'd like to take all the credit, this one was a... a team effort,"

"You know, this whole poisoning thing has just... ...really put a pause on everything that's been going on with you and I, so... should we just pick up where we left off?" Chloe's heart forgot to beat when she looked him.

"I think, right now, you just need to focus on feeling better, Detective," Lucifer replied, clasping his hand in hers.

"Would you have someone bring Trixie in? Yes. Yes, of course. And we'll talk. We'll talk later, yeah?"

Lucifer opened the door, giving her one last look of affection before he let out a deep sigh.

Lucifer's eyes were bright red as he left, not with the fires of Hell but from holding back the unshed emotion threatening to spill over. As he left, he resolved not to look back as his heart lay beside Chloe in that hospital bed. How dare Dear Old Dad create a blessing to manipulate him with good heart and pure soul, only to have it turn out to be a curse on two legs. As he left the hospital, he knew he had to get away and he'd exact vengeance against the pain both parents had made him suffer. However, first, he needed a little fun and what better than the city of sin?

With that thought a sly grin slowly widened on Lucifer's face as he lit took a swig from his flask, lit up a Morley, turned on the car and revved the engine. Lucifer cranked up his stereo until nothing by his music muffled everything else within earshot. He sped from the parking let and left his heart in Los Angeles.

A single biker signaled in the turning lane as Lucifer head the opposite direction. Pulling up a sleek black and chrome Harley Road King motorcycle, the biker stepped off bike. Clad in black, thick work boots, the rider was familiar to the road in his black leather riding chaps, black leather jacket and matching motorcycle helmet. He removed it, showing a long crop of salt and paper hair.

He walked to the floral shop across the street, returning to the parking lot with a bouquet of fresh daisies and other flowers tinted in bright colors. Along with the bouquet, He carried a fuzzy teddy bear. Several minutes late, He gently rapped on the door to Chloe's room. "You up for company?"

"Josh, hey!" Chloe motioned him into the room. From seemingly out of nowhere, a glass vase with water appeared on the table near the window. She watched the lanky cowboy put the brightly-colored flowers in the vase.

"I know you have a thing for daisies," He said. "Kinda thought they'd brighten up the place."

Chloe watched Him stand in front of the window, a golden aura surrounding Him. She shook her head, smirking and chuckling at Josh Johnson aka God: one-half cowboy and other half biker. She looked at three patches, one with a cross, one with a Dove and the last with a symbol she couldn't recognize. Through her studies to learn more about Lucifer, she'd discovered Enochian sigils and recognized the symbol as one. "Thanks, I like them a lot."

"Josh!" Trixie jumped out the bed and ran full-speed toward him, encircling his waist. She looked up at Him with a big smile and he returned it with a warm grin. From nowhere came the teddy bear.

"Hey, Squirt, this is for you," Josh's deep Western drawl filled the room with an air of comfort that Chloe found rather peaceful.  
"Thank you!" Trixie hugged the bear tight.

"Well, your pipes are fixed and I finished the kitchen renovation," he leaned back in the chair, still warm from where Lucifer sat just moments earlier. "Everything your house that had something wrong with it has been fixed."

"How much do I owe you, Josh?" Chloe asked. "Monkey, would you grab my purse for me?"

"Sure, Mommy!"

"We're even," he held up his hand to stop Trixie. "We're good."

"O..okay," Chloe nodded head eagerly. She saw Josh's smile fade to a more serious expression. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Chloe, but I came to give you the news myself. I'm leaving."

"Leaving?" Chloe blinked twice. "Why?"

"Well, there's a guy named Earl in New Mexico that needs my help and You've got everything under wraps here."

"I'm going to miss You," Chloe blinked again, this time to hold back a few tears. "I have so many questions."

"I know, Chloe, and that's why I'm gonna give you a few answers before I head on down the road," Josh pulled out a pack of fig cookies. "Heaven's finest. Have one, it'll speed the healing."

"Don't mind if I do," Chloe reach for the one he offered her, each the sweet cookie and sipping water. "Why am I here? What is the purpose of my life?"

"Always leading with the classic," Josh chuckled. "You're not gonna believe me, but you're special, Chloe, real special."

"Aren't all God's children?"

"You know Isaac was, right?"

"Yes," Chloe answered. She'd read through the Bible and the Torah several times over the past several months in search of answers.

"You know who Elizabeth was, the one who gave birth to John the Baptist?"

"Yeah," Chloe gave a shrug. "Josh, I don't see how those two pertain to my questions."

"They were miracle children, Chloe, just like you. Abraham was my friend and he wanted a child more than anything, but he never asked Me because he thought he should ask for something for himself and his wife, so at 90, Sarah conceived Isaac. Elizabeth was close to 70 band she conceived John. Both of those boys were special and a part of the bigger plan."

"Okay. . ."

"So are you, Chloe," Josh drawled, saying nothing more.

"What?" Chloe remembered how to speak. "I'm going to found a nation or get my head served on a silver platter?"

"Nope," Josh replied. "You're walking redemption."

"Excuse me, I'm what?" Chloe struggled to sit upright in the hospital bed, almost tugging out her IV.

"I know you like things straight, Chloe, black and white. You're Dad and I talked. . .a lot. . .when he was on his beat. He'd pray every night for a kid and he was a good, good man. He was righteous in a way I hadn't seen in a very long time. He always helped others and lent a hand to anyone who needed it. He did pray for a child, so I sent Amenadiel down to give My blessing to your mom to conceive."

"So, I'm their miracle baby because He prayed to You?" Chloe's eyes narrowed. "People pray to you every day for food, clothing, shelter, peace. Why don't you answer their prayers?"

"Sometimes, Chloe, people pray for food and starve their neighbor. Sometimes, they ask for rain, but don't use their skills to build the reservoirs or the dams for the rain I send. Sometimes, some real sons-of-bitches get in power, saying they're doing things in My name when that's a bunch of -" His eyes flamed gold for a moment.

"Language, Josh," Chloe said, thinking that she'd never seen a display like that from Him. Truly, if this was her private delusion, it came with great special effects.

"Yeah, I created you for a purpose and a reason, Chloe," Josh laid a hand over hers. "You can choose it or you can walk away. Free will."

"Did Judas Iscariot have any free will when he betrayed Christ?" Chloe asked.

"Yes, Chloe, he did."

"Was he one of your miracle children?"

"No, why are you asking this now?"

"He betrayed Christ and committed suicide," Chloe retorted. "Did You make him betray Christ or did Judas have an out?"

"I gave him an out, Chloe," Chloe still saw the glimmer of gold surrounding pupils. "No temptation was put on Judas any more than any other human gets. He made his choices and I left him an out, but he thought some silver was a better choice. He never figured that his choice would get my son killed. Chloe, I never anyone face a bigger temptation that what a person can handle. If a person is tempted. I also give them an out so they can deal with it."

"I always wanted to ask that question and why are you telling me all of this now?"

"To give you the chance to take the bull by the horns or to walk away," Josh answered. "Sam. .. .Lucifer is going to face some hard times ahead. He was Satan and, yes, he exists."

"So he and you keep telling me," Chloe said slowly. "There's no out for him, he's doomed to the Lake of Fire."

"Let's say I'm on a learning curve since the old days," Josh took a bite of His fig cookie. "So, you're the next Miracle child. My Son was one."

"What?" Chloe scoffed. "You want me to get nailed? Your miracle children don't end up well, Josh. Usually killed."

"Yeah, sometimes," He admitted. "But not all and not always. There was no redemption for Lucifer or Amenadiel or for any of my other fallen children. Until now."

"What?"

"You are Lucifer's redemption, Chloe," Josh said. "Your love is his redemption. If you choose to be brave and stand with him at his side, he will change for you and because of you. You don't know everything, Chloe, and there are things that you'll learn about that will terrify you. I'm offering you an out."

"I don't abandon my friends," Chloe said without hesitation.

"I know that," Josh agreed. "Lucifer will do dumb-ass things that will make you wonder what hell he is doing. Your life will be in danger countless times. He's been a selfish ass who needs love and hope to guide him through his changes and that's you, Chloe."

"If I were made just for this, is what I'm feeling for him even real?"

"That's between you two and it grew all on it's own," Josh rose to his feet. "That's a bonus and you decide if it's real. I had nothing to do with it."

"So, what happens now?"

"I'm going to New Mexico," Josh said. "I've taken months to prepare you for your new undercover mission as Lucifer's redemption. How you choose will affect not only him but those around you: Amenadiel, Mazikeen, Linda Martin, Trixie. You're a wise woman, Chloe, and I don't usually tell people straight out, but, I wouldn't mind having you for a daughter-in-law and I'd like to see my son again. As long as he is as he is, he can't see Me directly."

Chloe sat there, her mind numbed by Josh's revelations. "No superhuman powers?"

"Only for you to see things from Lucifer's point of view?"

"No more miracles?"

"You make miracles everyday when you love someone as yourself, whether you know them or not."

"Demons? Will I be fighting any of those?"

"Probably not yet, but someday, it's possible," Josh's grim answer sent a shiver down Chloe's spine. "You have Mazikeen to show you how to deal with what you may choose to face."

"Will you show her mercy?" Chloe asked. "A second chance or soul?"

"I tell you what, I'll give what's needed, but not always wanted," Josh tweaked her nose. "I've told you enough of the universe's secrets. So, Decker, you in?"

"I'm in," Chloe gave him a smile. "I care about Lucifer."

"I know you do, Darlin,' "Josh tussled her hair. "I didn't say it'd be easy, but I didn't say it wouldn't be worth it."

He put on his sunglasses and gave Trixie a hug. "You take good care of your mom for me, okay?"

"Josh, are we going to see you again?" Trixie sniffed.

"I'm Always with you," He said in a voice that was unearthly and lovely beyond description. "We'll see each other again, Trixie. That means you, too, Chloe. Promise. You gals take care and if you need help or just want to talk, just call out to me and I'll hear you."

A glowing gold light pulsed from the center of His being until it engulfed him and then He was gone. Chloe found herself wiping away tears, saddened by the departure of her newest friend. Trixie came back to the hospital bed and snuggled beside her mother.

Later that night, she contemplated everything Josh had said about her existence and her life's purpose if she chose it. She had the right to embrace it wholeheartedly or to walk away. Chloe sighed, contemplating if Judas or John the Baptist had the same free will she did. If she walked away, would there be another to slip in and fulfill the role of Lucifer's walking redemption? Was it something only she could specifically do? Josh never answered those questions.

Chloe knew several things.  
1) Lucifer always had her back and had been there for her.  
2) He never lied to her.  
3) He was loyal.  
4) She was in love with the Devil.

Josh warned her that there was trouble ahead if she followed her heart and chose to stand with Lucifer. He also said that it wouldn't be easy, but it'd be worth it. The weight of a thousand worlds lay heavy on her shoulders. Her choices wouldn't only affect her, but her family and those around her. 'I'm only human. I can't do this. How?'

"I'll be with you always," a familiar drawl answered in the dark as if He were in the room. "You worry too much, Chloe. Get some sleep because tomorrow brings enough worries of its own. Tonight, just sleep."

"Just. . .sleep," Chloe murmured. "I choose, Josh, I'll stay where the winged ones are. G'night."

"That's my girl," Josh murmured as the moonlight shown down upon Him as he crossed the state line into New Mexico with Steppenwolf's 'Magic Carpet Ride' miraculously blaring through the desert, accompanied by the sounds of howling coyotes and hooting owls.

The End?

Epilogue:

Under the light of a full moon, Josh read the sign as he cruised into the small town on his Harley-Davidson Road King: Puente Antiguo, New Mexico City Limits.


End file.
